Friday, June 9, 2023

TASTE OF SHELBY COUNTY TONIGHT

Shaw Named Outstanding Career and Technical Director of the Year

Steve Shaw was surprised to hear from local media about receiving his state professional organization's Outstanding Director of the Year award this week.

“I didn’t aim for this to be publicized,” Shaw said before insisting Blue River Career Programs staff members Angie Stieneker and Sandy Hensley join him for an obligatory photo.

No wonder the anonymous nomination letter on his behalf called Shaw “polite” before adding, “He is a soft-spoken individual with true convictions.” (The Evening Review, of course, has its sources.)

Rather, Shaw lets the organization’s success speak for itself. Half of today’s Blue River Career Programs offerings have been created on his 16-year watch, including popular welding, criminal justice, fire and rescue, culinary arts, diesel and automation and robotics programs, the latter of which is moving under the auspices of Ivy Tech Community College this year. Other existing programs have been modified substantially.

“We’re no longer ‘voca’; it’s now technical education,” Shaw said.

And it’s not just a matter of semantics. Career and Technical Education (CTE) has gained national recognition as a means to earn high wages and also as a legitimate pathway to college.

“I think CTE has much more respect than it used to have,” Shaw said. “The (Indiana) Department of Education changing graduation requirements has also increased numbers and visibility.”

The data backs him up. Last year, 369 students from the five Shelby County high Schools attended classes at BRCP, and this fall’s enrollment is up approximately 25 percent.

“We’ve seen a big increase in work-based learning and dual credits,” Shaw said, referencing a program in which students simultaneously earn high school and college credit. Most dual credits are gained through Ivy Tech, with the exception of the auto collision program in which students receive credit through Vincennes University.

Shaw is happy to talk “shop” regarding the benefits of CTE, but less so regarding personal achievements.

This year, the Indiana Association of Career & Technical Education Districts (IACTED) honored Shaw with the Tom Paul Outstanding Director award. Shaw has twice served as president of the professional organization and in other officer positions. He also is on the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

But the Western Kentucky University graduate is quick to point out Stieneker's and Hensley's roles in running the complex organization.

“This is a team effort,” Shaw said.

NOTEBOOK

• The following streets will be closed 7 a.m. to midnight today for tonight's Taste of Shelby County event: Harrison Street, from Broadway to Franklin E.; Washington Street, from the Art alley to Harrison; and W. Washington Street, from Harrison to Post. At 5 p.m., W. Washington Street, from Harrison to Tompkins, will be closed as well.
• STATE NEWS: Former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is considering whether to join the 2024 Republican governor’s race, nearly three years after his reelection bid was derailed by allegations that he drunkenly groped four women during a party. Hill built a following during his time in office and his entry into the governor’s race could further complicate what already is shaping up to be an expensive fight for the Republican nomination. U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Fort Wayne businessman Eric Doden are already vying to replace Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, who can’t seek reelection because of term limits. Hill expects to make a decision in the coming weeks as he and his wife “are carefully praying for guidance,” he said in a statement provided to The Associated Press by his political advising firm. (Indiana Public Media)

This Day in Shelby County History

2018: Sandman Brothers, which opened as a bicycle shop in 1918 and later sold appliances and automobiles, celebrated 100 years in business.

2013: Bible Holiness Church officials broke ground for a new church building on E. Michigan Road. The church had been at 910 S. Tompkins St. since 1923. Joseph Smith had been pastor for 29 years. The oldest church member was Mildred Hamilton, 96. She attended the groundbreaking service with her sister, Violet Mae Hamilton.

2008: St. Joseph Elementary School's Josh Kenkel broke the 400-meter dash record at the city elementary track meet. He was coached by Kristin Laker.

2003: Josh Owens graduated early from Shelbyville High School after exhausting the curriculum in six semesters. He planned to attend Wabash College.

1998: Kambara officials presented Shelbyville with a stone plaque marking the 10-year anniversary of the sister city union. Among those in attendance for the presentation were Mayor Betsy Stephen; Jim Lisher, International Relations Council president; and Gene Sexton, city councilman.

1993: Robert Trees was chosen as "Older Hoosier of the Year" for the metropolitan Indianapolis area. Trees was the reigning Shelby County Senior King, and his wife, Alma, was the county's Senior Queen. Trees was chairman of the local Red Cross board of directors, a driver for Meals on Wheels, and served in several other capacities. He had retired 10 years prior from Indiana Bell.

1988: Members of St. George's Lutheran Church celebrated its 150th anniversary. The congregation first met on the George Warner farm in 1838. The church's first frame building was built just south of the present church on State Road 252 in 1849. Sunday School then only met during the summer months since there was no heat. A new brick building was constructed in 1867.

1983: Several local boys attended basketball camp at Hanover College. They were Eric Carmack, Ronnie Gehrich, Jade Boling, Kevin Bode, Tim Barnard, Todd Anderson, David Phares and Eric Thoman. Jeff Knecht was a counselor.

1978: Stephanie Hamilton, 11, of Boggstown, won the Shelby County Chiropractic Association's Posture Poster Contest, sponsored by Dr. Jim Rees, Dr. Robert Ewing and Dr. Rita Steffey.

1973: The annual Lions Club Herb Runnebohm Good Citizenship Award was present to Mark Hodson, 1973 graduate of Triton Central High School. Dave Garrett, Rec director, presented the award.

1968: Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Benefiel celebrated 60 years of marriage on Mr. Benefiel's 80th birthday. He was a former employee of Albert Furniture Co. They were the parents of Grace Skillman, Lucille Skillman, Ruth Skillman and William Benefiel. One daughter, Hazel Hall, had passed away. They also had 25 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

1963: An ordination service was set for Paul Richard Meltzer, to be held at Zion United Church of Christ. Meltzer, of Rays Crossing, had been Lord Mayor of his Shelbyville High School graduating class and later graduated from Wabash College and Yale University.

1958: A newspaper photo showed Little League Baseball Director Dee Compton handing out equipment to Frank Rehme, manager of the Coca-Cola team, and Glen McNamara, Checkerboard squad manager, with Howard Bennett and Raleigh Reed nearby.

1953: Mayor Banawitz said annexation and off-street parking were his two priorities. He added there were no available building lots within the city, making annexation important.

1948: City Council discussed the footbridge at Kennedy Park, which had been barricaded due to deterioration. Vandals had torn off handrails along the ancient structure, and there were other issues. "The abutment looks like the leaning tower of Pisa," a city official said. Council members were concerned since the city carried no liability insurance except for the hospital.

1943: A "Victory Day" program by Trinity Methodist church to celebrate paying off the building mortgage was in the works, Rev. Josephine Huffer, pastor of the church for 19 years, announced. Previous large celebrations at the church had included the building dedication in 1927 and a dedication of a Kimball organ, a gift of the late T.E. Goodrich, in the 1930s. Church membership was over 500.

1938: Mary DePrez was elected president of the Tri Kappa sorority, succeeding Mrs. J. Paul Barnard.

1933: A hijacked truck carrying $8,800 in cigarettes passed through Shelby County. The truck had been hijacked near Rushville, and the driver was left four miles from Shelbyville. The truck was eventually abandoned by the hijackers.

1928: Plans were finalized for a Flag Day celebration to be held at Kennedy Park. A flag staff had recently been installed at the park and an American flag would be raised during the program. Local industry leaders said employees would be encouraged to attend.

1923: Twenty-six men from Shelby and Rush counties were arrested after sheriff's deputies raided a log cabin off Michigan Road near St. Omer. Officers confiscated a large amount of moonshine during the raid.

OBITUARIES

Karen M. Sutton, 65, of St. Paul, passed away Tuesday, June 6, 2023at OUR Hospice Inpatient Facility. Born March 6, 1958 in Indianapolis, she was the daughter of Fred Freeman Partlow and Janet Ruth (Krebs) Partlow. Survivors include four children, Janet Hinds (Tim) of Fairland, Carol Anderson of Poland, Indiana, Alanna Tinch of St. Paul, Danny Sutton of St. Paul; two sisters; one step-sister; two step-brothers; nine grandchildren, Ashley Sandoval, Elizabeth Lisby, Kassey Anderson, Cheyanna Anderson, Bethany Hinds, Nolan Hinds, Leanna Jackson, Laine Jackson, Braxton Jackson; four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and step brother Duke Duty.

Mrs. Sutton had lived in this area her entire lifetime and attended Ben Davis High School. Karen had worked for several different local fast food restaurants for several years. Karen loved animals, flowers, any outdoor activity, was a "people person" and loved spending time with family and friends.

Funeral services will be 5 p.m., Friday, June 16, 2023 at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road. Friends may call on Friday afternoon from 2 p.m. until the time of service. Memorial donations can be made to OUR Hospice of South Central Indiana, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.