Thursday, June 15, 2023

SHELBY COUNTY STROLL

Diligence Propels Dillon to Grand Championship

Last week was crunch time. With her father training at his firefighting job and her mother leading the local Girls Inc., Reagan Dillon did what she always does. She daily washed and walked her steer and heifer - who are sometimes reluctant participants - and prepared for the Shelby County 4-H junior livestock shows.

Just before Tuesday’s event, Amy Dillon told Reagan how proud she was.

“She said, ‘Mom, I haven’t even done the show yet,” Mrs. Dillon recalled. “I said, ‘That’s out of your hands. I’m proud of you for all your work and your commitment.'”

And those early morning and late night chores paid off for the rising Shelbyville Middle School eighth grader this week when she won Grand Champion in Showmanship in the Junior Beef division.

Reagan, in her fifth year in 4-H, tends to her cattle every morning. If softball or other school commitments keep her from getting back to Dillon Farms on time in the evening, she arranges for her dad or grandpa, or maybe a friend, to fill in.

“(Her father) Heath and I have always told her she has to make those arrangements,” Mrs. Dillon said.

She has, sending out a Sunday text message to all parties with a schedule and instructions.

Reagan’s additional weekend duties include moving feed from the bin to the barn and restocking the hay.

“We don’t feel that’s somebody else’s responsibility; that’s hers,” Mrs. Dillon said.

Dillon Farms was started when Mr. Dillon and his parents purchased acreage south of Saint Paul after he graduated from high school. The young entrepreneur had been inspired by his grandfather, who farmed land in the Plainfield area.

“He always knew that’s what he wanted to do, and he did it through hard work and the support of his parents,” Mrs. Dillon said.

That same combination is now working for Reagan, who developed a love for farming as a toddler while helping her dad. She hopes to work in the industry someday, perhaps as a large animal veterinarian.

But this week Reagan is enjoying early mornings to late nights at the fair. Yesterday evening, she prepared her animals in the noisy 4-H barn for someone else to show at the annual Royal event.

Next week, she’s back to standard farm responsibilities, and she has plans for her cattle too.

“After the fair, (the heifer) will go out with all the mommas (on the farm) and the steer will go into a pen for a couple of days and then into our freezer on Sunday,” Reagan said.

Does it bother the young farmer to eat an animal she just spent months caring for?

She just shrugs. “That’s what they’re for.”

NOTEBOOK

• STATE NEWS: Participation in Indiana’s taxpayer-funded private school voucher program jumped to the highest level since its start over a decade ago – even as the number of low-income and families of color using vouchers decreased. According to a new state report, the Choice Scholarship Program totaled $311.8 million in grants for 53,262 students in the 2022-23 academic year. That’s 9,000 students and $70.4 million more than the previous school year. But those increases will be dwarfed over the next two years, as nearly all Indiana students will become eligible for vouchers in the coming weeks. Those changes, enacted by new state law, are estimated to qualify 41,800 additional students for the program and cost $1.136 billion in total. Vouchers were originally intended to help low-income students pay tuition at a private or religious school, and later aid those enrolled at failing schools. The idea was these students would then have the choice to attend a high quality private school. But there's been ongoing debate over the academic benefits of vouchers and the lack of access for some students, such as those with disabilities. (Indiana Public Media)
• NATIONAL NEWS: The cost of food ticked up 0.2% in May from April after staying flat in the previous two months, showing how inflation has persisted on grocery store shelves, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for May. But not all aisles are created equal—the price of eggs dropped nearly 14% from April (the biggest one-month drop since 1951), while fruit and veggie prices rose 1.3%. (Morning Brew)

This Day in Shelby County History

2018: Former Triton Central football players Cole Earl, Morgan Seagrave, Ethan Demaree and Mason Durrett participated in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame East-West Classic game in Anderson.

2013: Brady Days was named Athletic Director at Southwestern High School, replacing Joe Ralston, who moved into a guidance counselor role at the school. Ralston was replacing guidance counselor Larry Phares, who retired after serving the school system for 47 years.

2008: KidZone, a family fun center at 431 Amos Road, was close to opening. Chris and Shelley Nolley owned the business, which would include giant inflatable bounce houses, Animaland stuff-your-own stuffed animals and pizza.

2003: Pvt. Shawn Pahnke, who was married to a Shelbyville woman, Elisha (Callis), was killed by a sniper in northern Baghdad. Pvt. Pahnke was also survived by an infant son, Dean, whom he never met.

1998: Students awarded at Triton Central High School's spring sports awards were Rachel Taylor, Alisha Copeland, Breck Tillison, Lindsay King, Susanna Bridges, Lindsey Johnson, Susan Caplinger, Jenni Thompson, Carla Miller, Amanda Miller, Jamie Baker, Joe Goodwin, Josh Esslinger, Brian Larkey, Kurt Bensheimer, Ethan Davis, Ryan Kern, Chad Beaver and Jeff Blettner.

1993: Shelbyville native Jeffrey Becom's photographs were on display at the American Institute of Architects in Washington D.C.

1988: The Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Board named Linda Sanders as the new parks director to succeed Pat Owens. Sanders had been recreation director for the parks department since January 1986. She was a Southwestern and Indiana University graduate.

1983: The Shelby Eastern Board purchased 33 computers, the first to be installed at Morristown and Waldron high schools.

1978: Among the champions at Shelby County's Fashion Review were Mary Ann Sullivan, Lora Kay Linville, Kim Harrod, Carol Keeton, Diana Simons (grand champion), Neva Myers, Linda Petro, Christine Walker, Joyce Harrell, Sue Kuhn and Linda Martin.

1973: A three-run first inning proved to be enough as the Coca-Cola team defeated K of C, 4-1, in Little League action. Brian Hood, Mark Craft, Kevin Branson and Jon Wainscott led the Coke team. Bausback-Hub ralled with 17 runs in the final two innings to defeat FOP, 20-7. Laymon Carter had a home run. In Knothole A League action, Kevin Jackson and Tim Berger led IPC to a win over CWA. In the B League, Matt Brown doubled, and Steve Bowers had two singles behind the nine-strikeout performance of Wade Lewis as Shelby Steel defeated IPC. For IPC, Tom Cox had three singles and Kelly McKenney had a pair of hits. FOP defeated Delles, 17-12, with a grand slam by Marvin Corley.

1968: A newspaper photo showed a quarry for the Cave Stone Co. near Norristown. Since a ridge bordered the right-of-way of old S. State Road 9, passing motorists could not see the deep quarry without stopping and walking to the edge. The quarry was about the size of a football field, the paper said.

1963: Sandman Brothers celebrated its 45th anniversary. Founded June 17, 1918, by William Sandman, who died in 1930, and by Chester Sandman, the present owner and president, the business started as a bicycle and vulcanizing shop located on the south side of Washington St., just east of Public Square. It later moved to the southwest corner of Washington and Pike Streets. By 1963, the business occupied seven buildings. The firm sold Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac cars, GMC trucks, Frigidaire, Maytag and RCA appliances, Schwinn bicycles, Goodyear tires and other items.

1958: An open ditch running south from Sunrise addition which for many years had been a health hazard and eyesore was eliminated with the city installing catch basins and a section of new storm sewer pipe.

1953: Loren Robert Joseph, 35, was named Shelbyville High School varsity basketball and assistant football coach, succeeding Coach Frank Barnes, who had stepped down after leading the Bears for 13 years. Barnes would stay on at SHS as athletic director, physical education teacher and golf coach. Joseph, a Butler graduate, had played on a state championship team in high school.

1948: Glen Plymate was slated to run as a Republican for City Council 4th Ward. In other government news, City Council discussed the city's lack of zoning regulations. "The recent fatal explosion at the Farm Bureau bulk oil plant, and announced plans for construction of two new similar plants within the city limit, has focused attention on the lack of zoning regulations," The Republican said.

1943: Over 800 attended opening day at Porter Pool. Despite sweltering heat, the pool was on the "cool side," The Republican said. The only incident of the day was when a whisky bottle was found in the pool.

1938: A sound-proof room was built in the police station for installation of police radio broadcasting and receiving equipment. The upgrades would allow police to respond to local situations within two minutes, city officials said.

1933: Floyd Shull, local junior high science teacher, addressed the Rotary Club at the Golden Glow on West Hendricks St. on the topic "The Earth and the Solar System." He mentioned that astronomers believed there was life on Venus because it had a greenish tinge, which they thought was foliage.

1928: Dr. R.F. Barnard, of Shelbyville, hit a hole-in-one at an Indianapolis golf course.

1923: A parade of 50 Ford trucks arrived over Michigan Road to Public Square, where a 30-minute band concert was given during which time the public could inspect the trucks.

OBITUARIES

Mark Stephen Leffler, 67, former Shelby County resident, passed away May 13, 2023 at his home inAlachua, Florida. Services are pending at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home.

Carrie S. Cloud, 55, of Rushville, passed away June 13, 2023 in Shelby County. She was born December 27, 1967 in Rushville, IN to Larry T. and Barbara (Thompson) Cloud.

Carrie was a 1986 graduate of Rushville High School, a 1990 graduate of Purdue University receiving her Bachelor's Degree in English Literature and Professional Writing. In 1996 Carrie achieved her law degree from McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. Carrie was on the board at Shares Inc. and the board of trustees at Rush Memorial Hospital. Carrie was known for her intelligence and generosity. Carrie worked at New Castle Law Practice two years, Rush County Prosecutor's Office for one year, Indiana Legislative Service Agency for 4 years, Eli Lilly for 10 years and practiced law at Cloud Attorney LLC in Rushville since 2017.

Carrie is survived by her parents, Larry T. and Barbara Cloud of Rushville; brother, Matthew (Tammy) Allen Cloud; half-sister, Kimberly Ferris Holmes, godson, Aiden Snodgrass and his brother Micah Snodgrass; aunt, Reatha Shaw; cousins, Betsy Anderson, Neal Shaw and Brian Shaw. She will also be missed by her nieces, Jessica Cloud and Taylor Cloud; nephews, Thomas Cloud and Blake Cloud; great-nieces, Cassidy Tucker, Ellie Cloud and Olivia Worton, and her loving fur baby, Scout. Carrie enjoyed her relationships with all of her cousins.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 21, 2023 in Moster Mortuary with Pastor Mort Radford presiding. Friends are welcome to visit the family Tuesday evening, June 20th from 4-8 p.m. in the mortuary. Burial of ashes will be held in the Raleigh Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Frontier Laborers for Christ: FLC USA, P.O. Box 630382, Highlands Ranch, CO 80163; Indiana Donor Network Foundation, 3760 Guion Road, Indianapolis, IN 46222 or Rush Memorial Hospital Foundation, 1300 North Main Street, Rushville, IN 46173.