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Repairs complete, Bridge 45 reopened to traffic (1/22/21)By JARED JERNAGAN, EditorBARNARD — Closed for nearly two years, a bridge on the Hendricks County line in Jackson Township was reopened to traffic Friday. Bridged 45, which carries traffic on County Road 900 East over Big Walnut Creek, was repaired by Wrought Iron Bridgeworks of Delphi, which submitted a bid of $82,000 on repairs to the 106-year-old structure...
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Commissioners appoint 2021 department heads (1/22/21)2By JARED JERNAGAN, EditorHaving already served for three weeks of 2021, fourteen Putnam County employees were formally reappointed to their positions by the Putnam County Commissioners Tuesday morning. Among non-elected department heads and other employees directly appointed by the commissioners, the only new person to his role is Dave Costin, who now serves as emergency management director in addition to being 911 director...
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Weekly COVID-19 update from Putnam County (1/22/21)Putnam County officials announced Friday that there have been 2941 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county since March. Putnam County is currently at a 12.1 percent positivity rate. For a further breakdown of cases please visit www.coronavirus.in.gov. The positive case number also may include positive cases at the state correctional facility located in Putnam County. To learn more, visit https://www.in.gov/idoc/3780.htm...
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400 pounds of marijuana, $108K seized in I-70 stop (1/21/21)6By ERIC BERNSEE, Editor EmeritusA California couple is facing felony charges after a Christmas Eve traffic stop on Interstate 70 discovered 417 pounds of marijuana and $108,560 in cash in their possession. Nicholas David Rhodes, 32, Stockton, Calif., and Julia Anne Kasprick, 33, Lockeford, Calif., are facing identical charges of dealing marijuana of at least 10 pounds and conspiracy to deal marijuana of at least 10 pounds...
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Health Department keeping pace with supply of COVID-19 vaccine (1/21/21)2By JARED JERNAGAN, EditorCOVID-19 has presented the kind of crisis public health officials spend years preparing for, hoping they’ll never have to face. So now that they are faced with a once-a-century pandemic, local officials are finding that those years of preparation and facing other viruses that didn’t have nearly the impact is yielding positive results with the early rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine...
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Grant to help local small businesses (1/21/21)Putnam County Commissioners and the City of Greencastle are each individually applying for a grant from the Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs (IOCRA) to help local small businesses within county limits and city limits that have been adversely affected by COVID-19...
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Health Department seeks volunteers to assist with vaccination clinic (1/21/21)The Putnam County Health Department is seeking public assistance in providing COVID-19 vaccines at a future mass clinic when vaccine supply allows. PCHD is seeking licensed and certified professionals to assist with administering COVID-19 vaccines. Additional volunteers are needed to assist with registration, monitoring patients, directing traffic and patient flow, as well as clinic set-up and tear-down...
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Officials acknowledge stress on Health Department staff (1/21/21)By JARED JERNAGAN, EditorRecognizing the stressful circumstances under which the Putnam County Health Department is operating, county officials on Tuesday made a pair of employee-friendly decisions. Both the Putnam County Commissioners and Putnam County Council made exceptions to normal practice in granting a pair of requests...
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County to resume partnership with West Central Economic Development (1/21/21)By JARED JERNAGAN, EditorIt probably took more than a name change, but Putnam County will resume its funding of West Central Indiana Economic Development District, which is now doing business as Thrive West Central. In approving their annual Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) plan on Tuesday, commissioners David Berry, Rick Woodall and Tom Helmer agreed to fund Thrive West Central for $15,000 in 2020, the amount requested by the Terre Haute-based regional economic development partnership...
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Derek Line named new Russellville deputy marshal (1/21/21)By BRAND SELVIA, Staff WriterRUSSELLVILLE -- Russellville will now have an additional policeman to help ensure the safety of its residents. The Russellville Town Council approved a request by Town Marshal Matt Biggs to instate Putnam County sheriff’s deputy Derek Line as a new deputy marshal for the small town...
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Boxed Lunch (1/21/21)1Photo by BRAND SELVIA, Staff WriterPutting an OCRA grant awarded in April 2020 to good use, the Roachdale community held its first mobile food pantry Thursday afternoon. Nine-year-old Jaden Odore heaves a box of food during the drive-in event at Roachdale Christian Church...
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Mary Allison Trust assists Area 30 EMT program efforts (1/21/21)Mary Allison Children’s Trust was able to assist the EMT Program at Area 30 Career Center with a new and much-needed mannequin for hands-on learning. Emergency Medical Services prepares students for a state certification which could lead to a career in emergency medical services such as an emergency medical technician or a paramedic. The course is designed for persons desiring to perform emergency medical care...
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Madison Township VFD breakfast set Saturday (1/21/21)The Madison Township Volunteer Fire Department will host its monthly fundraising breakfast on Saturday. This event will be carry-out only. Firefighters will bring food to the parking lot. The breakfast takes place at the fire department, 4271 W. CR 125 South (West Walnut) from 7-11 a.m...
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County returns to orange level in COVID rating (1/21/21)By JARED JERNAGAN, EditorWith a falling positivity rate, Putnam County returned to an orange rating on the Indiana State Department of Health weekly COVID metrics released Wednesday. The seven-day positivity rate for the week ending Jan. 18 stood at 13.07 percent, below the 15 percent mark that would have kept Putnam County rated as a red county...
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IAC workers in Greencastle eligible for Trade Adjustment benefits (1/21/21)International Automotive Components (IAC) in Greencastle became eligible on Dec. 17, 2020, to apply for benefits and services through the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. TAA is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD). ...
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It Tolls for Them (1/20/21)Photo by BRAND SELVIA, Staff WriterGobin Memorial United Methodist Church participates in a national pause of remembrance Tuesday evening to remember those lost to COVID-19 in the United States.
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Several downtown parking changes in the works for city (1/18/21)15By ERIC BERNSEE, Editor EmeritusA number of parking changes are in progress for downtown Greencastle, the City Council learned at its recent January meeting. The parking issue arose after Councilman Dave Murray asked City Attorney Laurie Hardwick if she could bring an amended parking ordinance to the February meeting for the Council’s scrutiny...
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Brady Robinson surprised with full ride to Marian University (1/18/21)5By TAYLOR DIXON, For the Banner GraphicThe Wednesday before Christmas break started just like any other for South Putnam High School senior, Brady Robinson. He was sitting in anatomy class, studying for finals, which had started that day, and talking about college with his brother. That is when guidance counselor Brian Gardner came in to pull him out of class to take a picture for a big grant the FFA had won...
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City appointments may get wider scrutiny (1/18/21)By ERIC BERNSEE, Editor EmeritusFor only the third time in his 26 years on the Greencastle City Council -- and second year in a row -- Mark Hammer will serve as Council president in 2021. Hammer, a Republican, received the unanimous backing of the seven-member Council at its January meeting Thursday night. In fact, his re-election serves to underscore the bipartisan nature of the Council as Democrat Adam Cohen made the motion to select Hammer, which was seconded by fellow Democrat Dave Murray...
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North Putnam board reorganizes for 2021 (1/18/21)By BRAND SELVIA, Staff WriterROACHDALE -- Meeting a week earlier than usual, the North Putnam School Board convened last Thursday to reorganize and welcome new members Rachel Mandeville and Eric Oliver. The board’s leadership saw a change with Travis Lambermont taking over as president from Ron Spencer. The board’s vice presidency, previously filled by Dustin Osborn, went to Mark Hoke. Mandeville, who defeated Osborn in the November election, was voted as secretary...
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Buzzi Unicem donates $25,000 to United Way (1/18/21)The new year continues to be dominated by COVID-19 and its impacts being felt by families across the community. Buzzi Unicem recently stepped up to help and made a $25,000 donation to the United Way of Putnam County. The gift is being invested in the United Way’s COVID-19 Community Relief Fund, which helps support the immediate needs of Putnam County residents who have been affected by the health and economic consequences of the pandemic...
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January is National Blood Donor Month (1/18/21)By ABBIGAIL SAMPSON, Extension EducatorEvery two seconds, someone in the United States requires a blood transfusion. It takes a lot of blood to fulfill that need. Although there is an average of 15.7 million donations a year, supply is still low. It is estimated that 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but less than 10 percent actually does. With the need for blood seemingly going up each year, it is vitally important for people to generously donate blood...
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SAWs completes 12th year of service to Putnam County (1/18/21)1SAWs (Servants of Work), a mission of the Greencastle Presbyterian Church, which provides improved home access to disabled residents of Putnam County, has completed its 12th year of service to the community. In its dozen years of providing help to those who have difficulty accessing their homes, Saws has built 213 ramps...
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Battling Messes in Putnam County (1/18/21)Photo by JARED JERNAGAN, EditorThere’s a new Marshall in town and he’s cleaning up Putnam County. Tyler and Danielle Marshall recently purchased and took over operations at Service Master of Greencastle. After 32 years with ServiceMaster, Ed Lattanzio has hung up his holster of cleaning tools. The Marshalls, both Putnam county natives, assumed ownership Aug. 1 and more recently moved the operation to 1001 Bloomington St., the complex at the southeast corner of Bloomington Street and Veterans Highway...
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Gobin to remember COVID victims Tuesday (1/18/21)On Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Gobin Church in Greencastle will join other churches in cities and towns across the country in a national moment of unity and remembrance of the lives lost in Putnam County to the COVID-19 pandemic. The church bell will ring 47 times, once for each Putnam County resident who has died...