News

No one was injured Sunday afternoon when a gyroplane was forced to make an emergency landing on the city’s east side. The aircraft had taken off from the Putnam County Regional Airport but the pilot reported it began to lose power. Unable to return to the airport, the pilot made an emergency landing in a field near Ascena Retail Group shortly before 12:30 p.m...

CUNOT -- Just hours after a teenager drowned at Heritage Lake, a man nearly suffered the same fate in the waters of Cagles Mill Lake Saturday evening. Indiana Conservation Officers, Putnam County sheriff’s deputies and Putnam County EMS responded to the call at Lieber State Park about 7 p.m...

BAINBRIDGE -- A 21-year-old man permanently injured his hand in a Fourth of July fireworks accident. Reported as a partial amputation of the hand, the call for Putnam County EMS and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department went out at 9:29 p.m. Saturday...

HERITAGE LAKE -- Tragedy marred the Independence Day holiday Saturday when a teen drowned at Heritage Lake. The 15-year-old had been swimming off the family’s dock and was found in the water under the dock. Officers were called to the lake at 4:10 p.m., with Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Brian Helmer, Reserve Deputy Ken Rozelle and Roachdale Town Marshal Adrian Lepine all on the scene within minutes...

National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) is usually on April 16, the day after tax returns are due. However, since the income tax filing deadline was postponed this year until July 15, NHDD was also postponed to July 16. The date was inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s quip that “nothing in life is certain but death and taxes.”...

When it was announced in April we would be cutting our print days from four days to two, we said it would be temporary because of the coronavirus pandemic. That’s still our plan. The change was put into place because our advertising revenue — especially inserts — dropped drastically when businesses decided not to advertise as much during the pandemic. ...

After taking a few months off, the Community Conversation program will return this week with a slightly different look. For the rest of the year, these monthly conversations with elected and appointed government officials will take place over Zoom. The first Zoom conversation is set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8 and will feature Putnam County Public Library Director Matt McClelland and PCPL Board President Kayla Flegal...

Multiple emergency agencies converged on a north side neighborhood Wednesday afternoon as the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department attempted to serve a search warrant. The Vigo officers attempted to serve the warrant at Northview Apartments, but the three people inside would not come to the door...

ROACHDALE -- After leaving open whether his contract would be renewed during its regular June meeting, the North Putnam School Board retained Athletic Director Roger Busch in a short special meeting Tuesday evening. With Busch present at the meeting, the board approved a revised contract through which the athletic director is stipulated as an at-will employee. This means that he can be dismissed for any reason...

Despite two special meetings called to consider rescinding a street closing decision, the Greencastle City Council stood behind its original June 11 determination Tuesday evening. The issue at hand was the closing of Fifth Street between Avenues D and E from 10 a.m. to midnight on July 4 for a neighborhood block party as proposed by Larry Dickerson and Harold Barger...

Putnam County officials announced Thursday that there have been 165 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county. The Putnam County Health Department confirmed today the OptumServe testing site will remain open through Friday. COVID-19 testing, offered free of charge, is available for high-risk Hoosiers showing symptoms of COVID-19 or in direct contact with someone who has the virus...

Due to concerns with COVID-19 and keeping participants safe, Senior Education Ministries has announced that the Dine with a Doc programs for the rest of 2020 have been suspended. The organization anticipates to resume the free programs beginning next February...

Lori White assumed the presidency of DePauw University Wednesday, becoming the 21st person, the first African American and the first woman to lead the 183-year-old institution. White was the vice chancellor for student affairs at Washington University in St. Louis when DePauw’s board of trustees concluded an eight-month search in March by voting unanimously to appoint her. She succeeds Mark McCoy, who became DePauw’s president in July 2016...

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Using a handheld cellphone while driving will become illegal on Indiana roads under a new state law taking effect this week. The move aimed at combating distracted driving was among numerous laws going onto the books Wednesday after being approved by the state Legislature this year...

Cloverdale High School will not conduct an in-person graduation ceremony for the class of 2020. Principal Sonny Stoltz told the Banner Graphic that a survey among the graduates indicated that most of them did not want to have an in-person ceremony...

Guests may notice a variety of improvements that enhance campgrounds, restrooms, trails and other facilities in the Indiana State Parks system of 24 state parks and eight reservoir properties as the traditional summer recreation season gets under way...

Scholarships and awards just keep on coming for recent Greencastle High School graduate Ben Wilkerson. The 2020 Putnam County Lilly Endowment Scholarship winner, Wilkerson has received the National Merit DePauw University Scholarship, according to a release by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation...

The Brazil Concert Band, directed by Matthew Huber, will be back live and in person this Sunday, July 5 at 8 p.m. at Forest Park. In case of rain, the concert will take place in the pavilion. “Back Home Again: A Patriotic Salute” will feature all the Independence Day favorites to wrap up the Brazil Rotary’s annual celebration...

Despite a downpour which moved through, around 18 people participated in another protest held at the Putnam County Courthouse late Saturday morning. One of them holds up a Black Lives Matter sign...

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale Town Council now has a workable agreement with the county when it comes to building inspections. In turn, it considered what to do with a current vacancy during a special meeting held last Thursday. Taking a major step forward, the council finally approved an agreement in which the county would take responsibility for inspections and building permits. The Putnam County Commissioners signed the same agreement during their June 15 meeting...

The Putnam County Fairgrounds will host a Gleaners drive-through food pantry on Tuesday, June 30 at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. The event will take place from 4-6 p.m. Gleaner’s will be back at the fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 14.

A Fillmore couple, accused of burglarizing three neighbors’ residences, are facing six felony counts in Putnam Superior Court. April Nicole Sult, 35, and Gary Todd Leitzman, 55, are each facing: -- Three counts of burglary, a Level 4 felony that carries a sentence of 2-12 years in prison...

The Putnam County Fraternal Order of Police is beginning its annual fundraising drive, with calls to solicit donations. Organizers would like Putnam County residents to know that no in-person solicitation will take place without a prior telephone call...

With Kayla Flegal leading her first session as its president, the Putnam County Public Library’s board of trustees heard how the library is continuing to move forward with its reopening plan last Wednesday evening. In his monthly report to the board, Director Matt McClelland first stated that staff were excited to be back in the building. ...

The Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) wants to increase the quality of the end-of-life experience for patients, loved ones, caregivers and the health-care community in Putnam County. One of the ways in which the PCHPCA seeks to accomplish this is to promote volunteering for hospice in Putnam County...