News Flash

The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce hosted a “State of the City” panel discussion Friday afternoon at the Wortman Family Civic Theatre on the city’s west side.

RISU AMERICA, INC. celebrated the completion of its first American facility Monday morning in Shelbyville.

The facility is the 15th production site for the company and the first located outside of Japan.

Since 2010, these grants have supported the ongoing efforts of local organizations to enhance the quality of life in the Shelby County community.

SHELBYVILLE, IN  - The City of Shelbyville is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant of $444,069 from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Community Crossings Matching Grant Program. This funding will facilitate much-needed road improvements across the city, enhancing safety and infrastructure for residents and visitors alike.The grant, awarded by INDOT, underscores the state's commitment to supporting local communities in their efforts to maintain and enhance their transportation networks. The funds provided through the Community Crossings program will enable the City of Shelbyville to undertake vital roadwork projects later this year.Among the streets approved for improvement through the grant are:- Elliot Street- Montgomery Street- Noble Street- Jackson Street- Progress Parkway- Pike Street- Morris Ave- Knightstown Road- Maple Street- Walker StreetThese streets will undergo a 1.5" mill and overlay process, addressing wear and tear to ensure smoother and safer travel for motorists. The scheduled work is set to take place during the summer months, with the aim of minimizing disruption to residents and businesses while maximizing the benefits of the infrastructure enhancements."We are thrilled to receive this significant grant funding from INDOT, which will enable us to make critical improvements to our roadways," said Scott Furgeson, Mayor of Shelbyville. "These projects are vital for maintaining the safety and functionality of our transportation infrastructure, and we are grateful for the support of INDOT in making them possible."The Community Crossings Matching Grant Program provides matching funds to local governments for road and bridge projects. It aims to support infrastructure improvements that enhance quality of life and promote economic growth across the state of Indiana. More information about the program can be found on the INDOT website: Community Crossings Matching Grant ProgramThe City of Shelbyville looks forward to the positive impact these road improvements will have on the community and extends its appreciation to INDOT for its continued support.For further information about the roadwork projects or the Community Crossings grant, please contact John Kuntz, City Engineer, jkuntz@cityofshelbyvillein.com.

Shelbyville, IN - Major Health Partners (MHP) Hospital, in collaboration with Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau, is thrilled to announce its upcoming centennial celebration on June 7, 2024. This momentous occasion will mark a century of excellence in healthcare provision, community service, and local pride.The festivities will take place at the heart of downtown Shelbyville, a town steeped in rich history and vibrant culture. Partnership with Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau promises an event that not only celebrates MHP Hospital's legacy but also showcases the best of what this county has to offer.MHP Hospital has been a cornerstone of healthcare in Shelby County.  In 1890, the original Major Hospital was built as a home for the Major Family then later donated to Shelbyville to be the first hospital in Shelby County in 1924.  The donation was to happen upon the death of Mrs. Major but she wanted to see the home used as a hospital, so she donated it while she was still living. Over the past century, it has evolved into a leading healthcare institution, providing cutting-edge medical services while remaining deeply rooted in the community it serves.The collaboration with Taste of Shelby County adds an exciting culinary dimension to the celebration. Attendees will have the opportunity to indulge in the diverse flavors of Shelby County, showcasing the region's culinary talent and local delicacies. From savory dishes to sweet treats, the Taste of Shelby County promises to tantalize taste buds and celebrate the gastronomic delights of the area."We are incredibly proud to reach this historic milestone," said Mayor Scott Furgeson, City of Shelbyville Mayor. "For 100 years, MHP Hospital has been dedicated to providing exceptional care to the residents of Shelby County. This celebration is not only a testament to MHP's past achievements but also a reflection of their commitment to the health and well-being of our community for generations to come."The 100-year celebration of Major Health Partners Hospital promises to be an unforgettable event, honoring the institution's legacy while embracing the spirit of Shelby County. All members of the community are invited to join in the festivities on June 7, 2024, in downtown Shelbyville.For more information about the event, please visit https://www.visitshelbycounty.com/.About Major Health Partners:Major Health Partners is a leading healthcare provider serving Shelby County and surrounding areas since 1924. Committed to excellence in patient care, education, and community service, MHP Hospital provides comprehensive medical services to meet the diverse needs of its patients.About Taste of Shelby County:Taste of Shelby County is an annual event showcasing the culinary diversity and talent of Shelby County, Indiana for the tenth year in a row. From local favorites to international flavors, Taste of Shelby County celebrates the rich culinary heritage of the region.About Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau:The Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau is dedicated to promoting the attractions, events, and heritage of Shelby County to visitors and residents alike. Through strategic marketing and community engagement, the bureau strives to showcase the best of what Shelby County has to offer.For event media inquiries, please contact: Rachael Ackley, Executive Director of Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau at rachael@visitshelbycounty.com

Shelbyville, Ind. — The City of Shelbyville has advanced to Silver Level status in the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Clean Community Program just four months after earning Bronze designation, signaling both operational readiness and institutional maturity in environmental governance.

In a Feb. 17 letter to Mayor Scott Furgeson, IDEM Commissioner Clint Woods confirmed Shelbyville met the documented project requirements necessary to graduate to Silver. While advancement within the program is structured, the compressed timeline is notable.

Municipalities progress through Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers based on a population-scaled project matrix. Larger communities must complete more verified initiatives to qualify. Advancement requires documented implementation, annual reporting and participation in a designated Clean Team structure — embedding accountability mechanisms into local governance rather than relying on aspirational policy statements.

From Project-Based Compliance to Systems-Level Governance

Shelbyville’s qualifying initiatives included:

• Implementation of a composting program
• Establishment of a community garden network
• Adoption of an open burn ordinance
• Expansion of bike-share infrastructure

Individually, these initiatives appear discrete. From a policy and economic standpoint, however, they function as distributed risk mitigation tools.

Composting reduces landfill methane emissions and diverts organic waste streams, lowering long-term waste management costs and environmental liabilities. Open burn ordinances directly correlate with measurable air-quality improvements and reduce public health externalities associated with particulate matter exposure. Active transportation investments, including bike-share expansion, decrease vehicle dependency and contribute to emissions reduction while enhancing urban livability metrics increasingly evaluated by workforce talent pools and corporate relocation consultants.

The rapid transition from Bronze to Silver suggests that Shelbyville’s environmental projects were not retrofitted to satisfy program requirements. Instead, they were already embedded within municipal planning and capital strategy frameworks.

Capital Markets, Site Selection and ESG Alignment

For business investors and site selectors, environmental governance capacity has become a due-diligence factor. State-verified sustainability participation signals regulatory fluency, structured reporting practices and administrative continuity — all of which reduce operational uncertainty.

Programs such as IDEM’s Clean Community framework also align with broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) evaluation criteria that institutional investors increasingly apply when assessing public-private partnerships and infrastructure markets.

“Environmental performance is no longer a peripheral issue for growing communities,” Mayor Scott Furgeson said. “It is a core governance competency. Advancement in this program reflects operational discipline and long-term planning.”

Silver designation places Shelbyville within a narrower cohort of Indiana municipalities that have demonstrated sustained compliance and continuous improvement beyond entry-level participation.

Implications for Long-Term Regional Competitiveness

For scholars examining municipal governance models, Shelbyville’s trajectory illustrates how structured, tiered state programs can serve as accelerators for embedded sustainability rather than symbolic certification systems.

The Clean Community Program’s architecture — population-scaled requirements, pre-approved project matrices, annual reporting and tier-based graduation — functions as a lightweight but durable institutional scaffold. It encourages incremental but cumulative policy integration, particularly in mid-sized municipalities navigating growth pressures.

To advance to Gold, Shelbyville must identify and implement additional proactive environmental projects, further deepening its environmental governance portfolio.

The four-month progression between Bronze and Silver suggests capacity already exists within the city’s operational framework. The next phase will test scalability.

As economic development discussions intensify across the region, Shelbyville’s Silver status does not resolve environmental debates. It does provide documented evidence of structured participation in a state-recognized sustainability system — one that integrates measurable environmental performance into municipal operations.

Additional information on the Clean Community Program is available through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

The City of Shelbyville has launched a new bi-weekly podcast, Next Door. Next Level., positioning community storytelling as a strategic tool for connection, workforce recruitment, and long-term growth. The series reflects a broader shift in how communities communicate, recognizing that people increasingly choose where to live, work, and invest based not only on data and infrastructure, but on lifestyle, belonging, and lived experience.

Podcast listenership continues to grow nationwide, particularly among adults ages 25–44 — a demographic closely tied to workforce participation, family formation, and economic stability. Audio platforms allow communities to reach residents and prospective newcomers during commutes, workdays, and family routines, offering a more accessible and human way to engage audiences who may not participate in traditional meetings or consume long-form written updates. For Shelbyville, the podcast complements existing communication channels while expanding reach into everyday life.

The first episode features Ashley Livezey, a lifelong Shelbyville resident, downtown homeowner, and community volunteer whose story reflects the type of investment communities work to cultivate and retain. In the conversation, Livezey discusses choosing to live downtown, walking to work, volunteering locally, and the value of feeling connected to the place she calls home. Her experience highlights how small, everyday choices — where to live, how to engage, and when to show up — collectively shape the strength and character of a community.

Research consistently shows that communities with strong social connection and a sense of belonging are more resilient and economically competitive. When residents feel invested, communities see higher retention rates, stronger local networks, and greater appeal to employers and entrepreneurs. By elevating voices like Livezey’s, Next Door. Next Level. reinforces the social infrastructure that underpins economic growth and community stability.

The podcast also serves as a recruitment and retention asset at a time when workers and families increasingly evaluate quality of life alongside job opportunities. Hearing directly from residents provides a realistic, credible picture of daily life that traditional marketing materials cannot replicate. Stories grounded in lived experience help answer the questions prospective residents and businesses often ask: Will I fit here? Can I build a life here? Do people care about their community?

New episodes of Next Door. Next Level. will be released bi-weekly and will feature a cross-section of Shelbyville residents from different backgrounds, industries, and stages of life. Together, the series positions Shelbyville as a community investing not only in physical development, but in the relationships and experiences that make growth sustainable.

The first episode featuring Ashley Livezey is now available on Spotify.

Shelbyville Police Department is accepting applications for their entry-level and certified police officers through March 31, 2026.