Larry Atkinson sits at his desk at the Greenwood Community Center surrounded by memorabilia from his previous jobs in 1999.
Daily Journal Archive Photo
News from around Johnson County as reported on May 4 in the pages of the Daily Journal and the Franklin Evening Star from the last 111 years.
On this day in 1999, the main story in the Daily Journal was about a retired Greenwood teacher who was a welcome presence at the city’s community center.
Over the years, Larry Atkinson had worn many hats — both figuratively and literally. One hat he pulled out of a bag was an Indiana Pacers hat — he telecast their games in the 1970s — and another was an Indiana University hat, where he played varsity baseball and graduated from the university in 1969.
Next was a Greenwood Woodmen hat. He was the auditorium director at Greenwood High School from 1994 to 1998, and also coached varsity baseball. Upon his retirement, he got a new hat: Greenwood Parks and Recreation.
After a career lasting four decades, Atkinson had possibly landed at his last stop. Since July 1998, he had been the building manager for the Greenwood Community Center.
Atkinson’s enthusiasm and never-met-a-stranger attitude came at a perfect time for the center, which had some difficult times in the previous months.
Prosecutors were expected to file criminal charges against an employee who allegedly stole money from the center. At the same time, the parks department was facing a lawsuit from a former employee who claimed they were illegally fired for blowing the whistle about the missing funds.
Atkinson’s presence has been helpful, his colleagues said.
“Larry’s brought a fresh attitude for the center, and I think that’s important,” said Evan Springer, executive director of the city’s parks and recreation department.
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Other memorable Johnson County stories from this day
2015
A new Walmart location on State Road 135 in Greenwood was preparing to open up later that month.
1999
Pleasant Grove Elementary School officials were discussing a ban on wrestling T-shirts and lingo after students started imitating televised wrestling.
1993
Johnson County officials were considering asking for a study to look at putting a new Interstate 65 interchange between Greenwood and Whiteland, possibly at Worthsville Road or Tracy Road.
