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Around Town – February 5

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Staff Reports
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Orchids to …

• the beautiful picture of the Columbus North basketball team in prayer for Josh Speidel, from a proud Christian.

• Bill Schroeder and Dave Whittington for a great Super Bowl party on Sunday, from Dave Forrest.

• the person at Planet Fitness who turned in my iPod.

• Sue, Melissa, Jess, Ashley, Nicole, Darren, Macy at Silver Oaks for taking such good care of me, from Tim Burton.

• Debbie at Columbus City Garage for getting our recycling toter delivered, from Melinda and David Taylor.

• all the home-school parents who care enough to give children a wonderful education, top-grade music lessons and the ability to hold intelligent conversations.

• Dave Clark for Tuesday night’s fundraiser for Josh Speidel and for the to-go boxes, from John.

• Dawn, Suzee and Patty at The Republic’s circulation department for going above and beyond, from a grateful customer.

• the kind woman who found my wallet at Lowe’s and brought it to my home.

• Mr. and Mrs. Schneider for the beautiful crystal snowflake from the elderly lady on West State Road 46.

• Mayor Brown for working well together with the citizens of Columbus and addressing the issues most important to the people she serves.

Onions to …

• outsiders who can’t accept that people who make suicide threats sometimes commit suicide.

• the burglar who broke into our house and stole my pregnant wife’s wedding and engagement rings.

• those who believe that people who have a problem with companies that don’t ever allow their employees to have a day off are obsessed, lazy, unappreciative, don’t pay their bills and don’t support their families.

• the elected official who votes himself a raise then misses two out of three meetings.

• the county sheriff’s deputy for stopping me for my license plate light being out when it was working.

• family members who have nothing better to do than sit around and talk about the problems of other family members.

• the person who is making their decision on whom to vote for based on the Around Town section.

• the person who put in Onions about neighbors dealing drugs out of their house with small children in the house, when that activity should be reported to police.

• the company that promises to pay their team leads a certain amount over regular staff and then gives regular staff a raise but refuses to counteract with a raise for team leads.

• the person who stole the earphones.

• manufacturers that show favoritism to staffing companies that are not treating their employees fairly.

• the lack of regulations for home schooling, therefore dooming tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of children to little or no education.

• the young mother who brought her infant to the nail salon.

• The Republic for messing with the paper and not putting the comics where they usually are.

• the person who put an Onion in the paper for the basketball manager receiving an award.

• the person who moved into the city limits so she could run for city office and start her own good old boys club.

• fundraising for people who have more than adequate health insurance.

• those responsible for the vandalism damage to the Centra ATM in Clifty Crossing shopping center causing it to be out of order.

• the House of Representatives for voting to repeal or undermine Obamacare for the 56th time on taxpayers’ money instead of working on a jobs bill, climate change legislation or anything substantive.

• people who bid on and get the job they claim they really want, then do everything possible to not do that job by joining every committee or volunteering to do work in other departments.

• all the people who turn into the wrong entrance for the Kroger gas station and hold up traffic.

• the tire employee who walked out in front of a car to cross the road Tuesday and yelled and cussed at the person driving in the car.

• the older couple who were talking during the movie.

Happy Birthday to …

• Charlene Klinker, from Marie.

• Blue Bell, on No. 1, from Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters, Grandpa and Aunt Stacie.

• Pam Hull, from Mom.

• Paul Milligan, from your wife, family and friends.

• Jacob Hege, from Grandma Hege and friends at the Moravian Church.

• Wendy Christy, from friends at the Moravian Church.

• Amanda Zeller, from friends at the Moravian Church.

• Julian Baldwin, from friends at the Moravian Church.

• Carolyn Parker Thompson.

• Michael Powell, from friends and family.

• Jeff Whittington.

• Betty Littlejohn, from Bill.

• Glenn Miller, from Mom and family.

• Paul Milligan, from the Clarks.

• Jake Hege, from Beth, Owen, Hallie, Bonnie, your family and Donna.

• Buddy Littlejohn, from Aunt Brenda.

• Glenn Miller, from Aunt Sue.

• Leslie Williams, from Mom and Mike.

• Dane Konetzka.

• Jadyn Burton, from Pastor Lewis and The Who So Ever Will Community Church.

• Angi Robbins-Gianopulos, from Trish.

Belated Wishes to …

• Cathy Barga, from friends at the Moravian Church.

• Brandon Branz.

• Harold Holcomb.

• Brooke Sneed

• Suzie Norman.

Happy Anniversary to …

• Matt and Amanda Zeller, from friends at the Moravian Church.

• Nancy, from Jerry.

• Jeff and Carla Cole.

Nostalgic items find new homes

By
Staff Reports
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Nostalgia can be evoked by a variety of things, some of them pretty darn unusual. For instance, who can get all weepy at the sight of an old coal stove that was once used to keep soldiers and airmen warm during World War II?

For that matter, one would think it unusual to get excited about an extremely heavy, solid brass writing desk that was once a mainstay in the old Columbus post office at Seventh and Washington streets.

Both items do have special meanings to their current owners, even if they serve different purposes than the ones for which they were originally intended.

The coal stove, originally used in the barracks at Camp Atterbury when it was a major training base for the Army during World War II, is now a centerpiece in a display at the Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum at Columbus Municipal Airport.

That’s a pretty close connection with the original purpose, but it’s hard to find a link for the old post office writing desk with its present place of residence, the Bartholomew County Humane Society shelter.

Connected or not, both items have already brought back the old days for a number of local residents.

The stove certainly is a natural fit in the air museum’s display on barracks life during World War II and the Korean War. It’s evocative of simpler times when barracks featured such necessities of life as “butt cans” for smoked cigarettes and army cots with blankets required to be folded so tight that drill sergeants had to be able to bounce a flipped coin on them.

The stove on display at the museum is something of a rarity, although during the war they were commonplace in old wooden barracks. In fact, this particular stove has a direct connection to Camp Atterbury. It was turned over to the museum by Don Bloom, a military retiree who worked several years at Camp Atterbury. He acquired it in a roundabout manner.

“I had been interested in collecting artifacts like this for quite a while,” the Columbus man said. “I remember years ago while I was working at the camp, the sight of trucks hauling away materials when they demolished the old wooden barracks. There must have been hundreds of those old stoves that were tossed onto trucks and hauled away to the dump.”

Word of Don’s interest reached a man named Herman Johnson, whose family was among the original owners of property that was taken over by the military during World War II for construction of the new camp. His family moved into a house near the army base, his home until his death last year. At some point, Herman had acquired the stove that he used as the principal means for heating his house.

“Apparently, Herman found out that I was interested in acquiring one of those old stoves,” Don said. “He didn’t have any family, but he had told a friend of mine, Tom Mitchell of Taylorsville, that when he died he wanted to make sure that the stove went to me. I’m not sure how he arrived at that because I don’t remember ever talking to him about it.”

Tom abided by Herman’s request and contacted Don late last year to make arrangements for the stove to be turned over. As one of the volunteers at the museum, Don immediately knew where it belonged.

“It’s a great addition to the museum, but the really wonderful thing about this is the thoughtfulness of Herman in making sure it had a proper home.”

The humane society’s writing desk also followed an unusual route from the old post office that had been in operation until the opening of the current facility in 1971. Inside the post office lobby, it was where patrons addressed envelopes or filled out questionnaires. Today, individuals seeking to adopt pets use it to fill out forms.

When the Seventh and Washington post office closed in 1971, the desk was acquired by Columbus insurance agent R. Gordon Miller. When he retired in 2012, he donated it to the humane society. It was moved into the new shelter when that building was completed last year.

The desk is a familiar item for many longtime residents.

“People who come to visit (the shelter) recognize the desk from when they used the old post office or accompanied their parents to mail letters,” said the society’s Cheryl Zuckschwerdt.

Unfortunately, the desk did not come complete to the society. “It still had the green felt top and heavy glass surface,” she said. “However, it’s missing the inkwell that sat between the writing surfaces.”

Cheryl and the society staff are hoping that someone in Columbus might have in their possession an inkwell of the era that could fill out the desk.

“The hole for the well is 2.25 inches in diameter, but a smaller inkwell with an overhanging lip edge might fit,” she said. “Should anyone have something like that and be willing to donate it to the society, we’d love to hear from them.”

That could be a tall order, given that inkwells are not exactly household items these days.

Residents have right to be fully informed about budget, actions

By
Staff Reports
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In a democracy, it is vital that citizens be fully informed about what their elected and appointed officials are doing. Without that information, open and transparent government is undermined.

Last year the Indiana General Assembly removed the requirement that local government agencies publish their proposed budgets and proposed tax rates in newspapers as part of the notice of budget hearings. That change will become effective this year unless legislators reinstate the rule about publishing that information in print.

We urge lawmakers to take that step toward openness in government and help Hoosiers keep better track of what’s going on in local government and to keep tabs on government spending. Keeping public officials accountable is at the heart of the democratic process.

Posting this vital information online makes it available, yes. However, most people won’t take the time to track it down. For some, that’s difficult because of a lack of readily available Internet access.

In addition, electronic information can be altered or removed easily and quickly. The printed page won’t change. It would be easier for people to get back issues of a newspaper to find previous entries than it would be to search a website. Information on websites can be altered or removed easily and quickly. But what’s on the printed page won’t change.

We already know people read legal ads and support their publication in the newspaper. In a survey last year by American Opinion Research, 64 percent of Hoosiers said government bodies should be required to publish legal ads.

For the same reasons, we are also opposed to a proposal to eliminate the publication of the tax sale list of properties.

The state Legislature has a chance to correct this.

We call on lawmakers to reinstate the traditional requirement of proposed budget and tax-rate publication in local newspapers and make a strong statement about open government.

Looking Back – February 5

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Staff Reports
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Around Columbus

Feb. 5

 

News around Columbus and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in the pages of The Evening Republican and The Republic 10, 25 and 50 years ago.

2005

Chautauqua of the Arts Director Jim McDonough decided to move the 2005 festival to Greensburg after the Columbus Area Arts Council and the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department asked to be released from the agreement.

1990

Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. announced a new driver education program would be offered during regular secondary summer school. The popular summer class was canceled in January after teachers who were contracted to offer it cited difficulty in making a profit  and declined to participate.

1965

Higher than expected business and residential growth pushed the total number of telephones in the Columbus area past the 20,000 mark, not including phones in Elizabethtown, Hope, Flat Rock and Edinburgh which were included in the local calling area.

Brian’s picks

By
Staff Reports
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1) Forget thinking your kid, grandkid, niece or nephew wants to be a pirate. They already are, matey, according to children’s comic performer David Engel. He said he believes they naturally seek adventure, independence and discovery. He brings his Pirate School to Old National Bank’s free First Fridays for Families at 6 p.m. Friday at the Commons, 300 Washington St. in Columbus. With it comes lessons of polite behavior and learning courage. Information: 812-376-2539 or artsincolumbus.org.

2) Actor Jimmy Stewart could have read the phone book onscreen and I would watch today. I never liked older movies much until I saw “It’s a Wonderful Life” with him as the depressed George Bailey. Besides, I’ve gotta love the fact that, in YES Cinemas’ Classic Film Series showing of “The Philadelphia Story,” at 7:01 p.m. Friday, he plays a reporter, though of the tabloid variety, in the romantic comedy. Tickets are $5. Information: yescinema.org.

Go Guide – February 5

By
Staff Reports
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1) I cannot take my true loves — my fat, furry cats — out on Valentine’s Day because they are not welcome in most dining venues and, truth be told, they are not very well-mannered. But if I could take them out, I would make make reservations at White Castle. Each year on Feb. 14, the hamburger joint morphs into a fancy sit-down restaurant, often with candlelight and fancier table dressings. Reservations are a must, so if you plan to head to the Castle to romance your sweetie, take a heads-up from me and make your reservations now. Information: 812-378-1077.

2) The Bartholomew County Public Library, 536 Fifth St., has kicked off its Romance Book Sale. With the temperatures we’ve been experiencing, now is a great time to load up on books and snuggle in. During the sale, which continues through the rest of February, romance books are 25 cents for paperback and 50 cents for hardcover. Information: 812-379-1266, mybcpl.org.

Renee Connor

By
Staff Reports
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Columbus

Renee Connor, 51, of Columbus died Monday, February 2, 2015, at her home.

Renee was born in Columbus April 5, 1963, the daughter of Robert M. and Gladys Burnett Burnett. She married Leon Connor April 21, 2007, in Columbus. He preceded her in death May 24, 2013. She was formerly a pharmacy technician at K-Mart in Columbus.

She is survived by sons, Brandon Close, Travis (Lacey) Close and Tyler Close, all of Columbus; daughter, Brittany Watts Harper of Columbus; mother, Gladys Cagle of Columbus; stepfather, G.W. “Jay” Cagle of Columbus; grandchildren, Dallas, Alexa and Myleigh Close and Cayden Harper, all of Columbus; sisters, Toni Burnett of Columbus and Connie Burnett of Taylorsville.

She was preceded in death by her father, her husband and a sister, Vonda Fivecoat.

A gathering of family and friends will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Myers-Reed Chapel on 25th Street.

In keeping with Renee’s wishes, she will be cremated.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-reed.com.

www.myers-reed.com

Not wondering ‘what if?’

By
Jay Heater
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Brock Greiwe received some great news.

He had a dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor.

While that might seem to be devastating information for an 18-year-old high school senior, it was far better than the alternatives. A “DNET” tumor is benign.

“That’s the best kind to have if you are going to have one,” said Greiwe, who had surgery to cut out most of the “pinky-sized” tumor in November. “Now I am waiting for my skull to heal up.”

Greiwe, one of the state’s top high school defensive linemen at Columbus East, was rushed to the hospital after a seizure at his home Nov. 12 and was later diagnosed with the brain tumor. It took weeks, though, to identify the exact nature of the tumor.

So not only was Greiwe’s high school football career finished as the Olympians headed toward a semistate showdown with eventual champion New Palestine, but his very life was in danger.

Whether Greiwe ever could play football again was in question.

Now, just under three months since his seizure, Greiwe’s life is getting back on track.

On Wednesday, he took a major step during a ceremony at Columbus East by signing a letter of intent to play football at Indiana State.

As Greiwe has worked to rehabilitate his body, his chances of playing college football got brighter. On Jan. 25, he received offers from Indiana State and Marian University to play football.

It all made for an enthusiastic celebration Wednesday as Greiwe chose the Sycamores.

“There was one point where I didn’t think I would have any opportunities,” he said. “Then in the same day, in less than a two-hour period, I had offers from Indiana State and Marian.

“I think they were waiting to see how I would recover, and I had to wait it out. It just means a lot to me to see how other people believe in my abilities. They see something in me and they are willing to take a chance.”

It’s easy to see why Indiana State decided to take a chance. Greiwe was a starter on East’s state championship team as a junior, and he came back to register 64 tackles in 11 games his senior year. He had 13 tackles for loss, and East never lost a game the past two seasons with him in the lineup.

However, East football coach Bob Gaddis said more than football was involved in Indiana State’s decision to take a chance on a player who was recovering from a brain tumor.

Gaddis said it had to do with character.

“It speaks well of the kind of player and person Brock is,” Gaddis said. “People are willing to take a chance on him even though they understand that he is not yet released to play (football). He is just now working out, and he has cleared that hurdle.

“It is going to be great to see where he was and where he is going.”

Greiwe’s father, Keith Greiwe, said it has been an emotionally draining experience.

“I want to say it has been a long road, but it really hasn’t been,” Keith Griewe said. “We met with the (Indiana State) coaches, and they are aware of what Brock has gone through. They will help us with the journey he is on. I feel good about it.”

Brock Greiwe said he must redshirt his freshman year of college to allow his skull time to heal properly. But he will be able to run through drills without contact.

“It is going to take a while to get back to the level where I was,” Greiwe said. “But I think signing has gotten me over the hump. I don’t have to wonder if I will always have to live with this or ‘What if?'”

His father said he is comfortable with his son playing football again.

“We will be assured it is safe before he plays,” Keith Greiwe said. “And Brock is such a motivated individual. I think when you have something taken away from you, you work even harder.”

Two weeks ago, Brock Greiwe had to spend a night in the hospital, but the problems appear to have been medicine related, and he is now off all medication. “My brain waves are back to normal,” he said.

His concentration will turn to regaining his physical conditioning and earning a mechanical engineering degree.

“I’m not worried,” he said. “I’m excited. I’ve always wanted to play college football.”

Annual A Taste of Chocolate Friday benefits reading, youth leadership programs

By
Brian Blair
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lighthearted, wise humorist once said, “Forget love. I’d rather fall in chocolate.”

This weekend, folks can get a taste of at least one of those as Columbus Service League’s 25th annual A Taste of Chocolate unfolds from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday lining the middle of Columbus’ FairOaks Mall, 2380 25th St.

Even for the hardened hearts who might consider next week’s Valentine’s Day as no big deal, the sweet, yearly fundraiser often draws more than 2,000 people and generates between $9,000 and $10,000 for two local programs: Reading Is Fundamental, encouraging youngsters to find joy in books; and Youth Leadership Bartholomew County, teaching teens skills from résumé writing to job interviewing.

Organizers also are donating partial proceeds to Columbus’ Turning Point Domestic Violence Services.

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Sure, the gathering, complete with entertainment, normally offers its share of cookies, cakes, pies, syrups and enough dark, creamy goodness seemingly to float people from here to Hershey, Pennsylvania.

But it also can be a picture of practicality, with items such as chocolate chili. This year, organizers even are stretching beyond previous boundaries to include more than food among about 40 vendors, about 12 more than last year.

Lindsey Babinec, owner of Blondie’s Tan & Spa in Columbus, will sell a chocolate-scented skin scrub, along with bagged chocolate treats, for attendees. As one who’s never attended the event, she’s excited to be a part.

“Who doesn’t love chocolate?” Babinec asked.

Dawn Andrews, co-coordinator of the event with Varsi Weeter, figures the tweaked approach can build from year to year.

“The new set-up will take a while for businesses to latch on, but it’s a win-win for everyone,” Andrews said.

Andrews mentioned that volunteers ideally would like to raise $20,000 — nearly double the maximum generated in any of the past few years, according to Columbus Service League figures.

“That would be huge,” Andrews said. “I think that, in time, we could do it.”

Andrews herself will have an event booth highlighting her garb2art cosmetics sold with recycled containers and packaging. She will include a chocolate spray, and a little girl-targeted chocolate lip balm with a light-up lid.

Also on tap will be a full lineup of entertainment, including returning groups such as Columbus North High School’s 25th Street Jazz ensemble and newcomers such as the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Beth Barnes, who organized the musical lineup, aimed for variety.

“My goal was to try to touch on all musical styles possible,” Barnes said.

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What: Columbus Service League’s 25th Annual A Taste of Chocolate fundraiser, featuring a wide range of chocolate treats and foods, including cakes, pies, cookies and even chocolate-oriented toiletries and cosmetics.

When: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Where: FairOaks Mall, 2380 25th St. in Columbus.

Tickets: $2.50 in advance at FairOaks Mall, Blondie’s Tan & Spa, Gramz Bakery, All Natural Assets, or by calling 812-343-3569. $3 at the event.

Information: 812-343-3569 or Columbus Service League’s Facebook page.

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In front of Carson’s:

5 to 5:30 p.m. — Columbus North High School Jazz Band under the direction of Bill Stultz.

5:30 to 6 p.m. — Northside Middle School Choir under the direction of Sarah Finegan.

6 to 6:30 p.m. — Southside Elementary School Choir under the direction of Becky Brown.

6:30 to 7 p.m. — Central Middle School Jazz Band under the direction of David Rodgers.

7 to 7:30 p.m. — Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Youth Orchestra with Vanessa Edwards.

7:30 to 8 p.m. — Lauren Knorr and Grace Stewart.

At Dancin’ DJs:

4:30 to 5:15 p.m. — Harpist Claudia Slabaugh.

5:15 to 6 p.m. — Sonya’s Dance Zone.

6 to 6:30 p.m. — Lauren Knorr and Grace Stewart.

6:30 to end — Harpist Slabaugh.

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Love & laughs: Comedy arrives in time for Valentine’s Day

By
Brian Blair
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Sometimes, a stage role flows as naturally as one smooth scene to the next.

Or so it is for Columbus’ Naomi Fleetwood Pyle, with a rural, down-home speaking style and a manner as warm and comfortable as a perfect pair of slippers.

“I can do Southern pretty well,” Pyle said. “I just tap into my inner Paula Deen.”

She will do something slightly like that as the title character in the comic dinner theater production, “’Til Beth Do Us Part,” to be presented this weekend and next at Hope’s Strawberry Fields Mercantile/Auntie Aimee’s Tea Room.

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She also serves as producer of the show directed by Hope’s Pete Law, who also acts in the production.

Pyle and Law joined forces last fall for the dinner theater presentation of the classic “Steel Magnolias,” which drew more than 600 patrons in two weekends that included an added show to accommodate the demand. Pyle was careful to mention that, this time, expectations must be slightly different.

“That (success) was partly because everybody in the world knows ‘Steel Magnolias,’” Pyle said. “But we understand that not many people have heard of ‘’Til Beth Do Us Part.’”

The story focuses on a career-driven wife who enlists the help of Beth as an assistant to put the wife’s home life in order. But Beth stirs up the entire household, including the wife’s husband, in the process.

The play is from the same writers of “The Dixie Swim Club,” performed by Pyle and others in November 2012 at Columbus’ Harlequin Theatre in FairOaks Mall. She saw that work as laugh-out-loud funny — and sees the current piece in the same light.

She said she believes diners at the tea room see humor as a good side dish to restaurant owner and cook Tracy Fugate’s serious fixings.

“I just think laughter is really good for you,” Pyle said, adding that audience members see it as making the meal more enjoyable.

Director Law said he loves the chance to handle a more direct comedy, since “Steel Magnolias” offered its share of seriousness and sadness amid the laughs.

“I love making people laugh,” Law said. “As an actor, I definitely feel like that’s my strong point.”

He studies the work of comedic stars such as Steve Carell, Tina Fey and Melissa McCarthy to polish his technique.

“I love their delivery,” Law said.

He added that he feels sure audiences will appreciate the upcoming performance, which he, Pyle and current cast member Sherrie King-Wittenbring presented in Brownstown three years ago.

“There were some scenes,” he said, “where we couldn’t easily go on to the next scene because one of us was nearly laughing.”

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What: Dinner theater presentation of the comedy, “‘Til Beth Do Us Part,” directed by Pete Law and produced by Naomi Fleetwood Pyle.

When: 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday; and 6 p.m. Feb. 13 and Feb. 14 and 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15.

Where: Strawberry Fields Mercantile/Auntie Aimee’s Tea Room, on the square in Hope.

Tickets: $25 per person, including a meal with a meat entree, potatoes, vegetable and cobbler dessert.

Information and reservations (must be paid in advance): 812-546-0640 or 812-372-1201.

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