News

Jojo's Great Grands say "only 23 more days until Christmas!" If you'd like to see your child here, email mpatterson@bannergraphic.com for details.

In a sense, the fact that there is a Willer Timber Ridge Angus at all is a testament to the dedication of the late Kathy Willer. Occupying 240 acres southeast of Greencastle, Willer Timber Ridge may be a family cattle business, but Kathy, who passed away on Jan. 6 at age 73, has been described as the “glue” of both the Willer family and of the cattle operation...

The forecast deadline for the reopening of Bloomington Street/U.S. 231 in Greencastle came and went Thursday without cause for celebration. The new finish line date, Mayor Bill Dory told the Greencastle Redevelopment Commission (RDC) Wednesday evening, is now Friday, Dec. 8. That’s weather permitting, of course...

An odd-shaped, 1.16-acre lot at the southeast corner of Warren Drive and State Road 240, essentially orphaned by the development of the sprawling Walmart Distribution Center property behind it, was approved for rezoning by the City Plan Commission at its November meeting...

RUSSELLVILLE — With concerns raised about the Russellville Community Center’s deteriorating roof, a new avenue for funding repairs was pursued Wednesday evening. As an organization, the community center has worked toward funding a $500,000 grant through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA). However, the effort has been setbacked as the organization has not been redesignated as a nonprofit...

With the fundraising goal met before the event even began, the inaugural Kiwanis Indiana Trivia Night was bound to be a success. Still, when the Kiwanis Club of Greencastle raised $4,173 for the Riley Children’s Foundation, more than doubling its $2,000 goal, organizers had to be pleased...

Audubon Great Lakes Discuss Importance of Conservation and Climate Solutions to Protect Indiana Birds & People This week, Congressman Jim Baird (R-Greencastle) and Indiana State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) went birdwatching with Audubon Great Lakes and The Nature Conservancy at DePauw Nature Park in Greencastle to discuss the importance of conservation solutions, like the Farm Bill, that will protect wildlife and local communities...

The next free advance health care planning workshop hosted by the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association will be Wednesday, Dec. 13 from noon-1 p.m. via Zoom. To register, email contact.us@pchpca.org by Tuesday, Dec. 12 for a meeting invitation and instructions by Tuesday, Sept. 19. For additional information, call 765-301-7614...

Lilly Endowment Inc. has launched the eighth phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative, allocating up to $210 million to help Indiana community foundations strengthen the quality of life in the towns, cities and counties they serve...

Indiana-based farmer-owned cooperatives Co-Alliance Cooperative Inc. and Ceres Solutions Cooperative Inc. announced on Wednesday an agreement to pursue a merger. The cooperatives spent the past three months in a due diligence period to better understand the potential synergies of a combined organization. Upon reviewing the final due diligence report, the boards of directors of both cooperatives have unanimously approved a member vote for the merger...

The late Tim Schroer taught 25 of his 36 years at South Putnam High School. Schroer always wanted to help his English and Latin students receive the best education experience possible. As a result, the $5,000 Timothy E. Schroer Memorial Scholarship is being awarded annually...

The City of Greencastle and the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) are joining forces to go back to the future. The city and the CVB are purchasing the old Penn Central Railroad freight depot building, moving and renovating it to become a People Pathways trailhead and base for nature education programs as well as making the location home to a bicycle rental program to encourage residents and visitors to ride People Pathways. ...

“With the 2023 municipal election just days away on Tuesday, Nov. 7, the time to cast a ballot is dwindling.” So began a Banner Graphic front-page article on “Early Voting” on Nov. 2. This initial column in a planned series of columns titled “Governing in Putnam County — Locally” will focus on municipalities, one very important kind of local government in Putnam County, in the state of Indiana, and in most of the United States...

The last few months have been a whirlwind for the Putnam County PIE Student Coalition. Making plans and finalizing details for a second-annual canned food drive took time and a lot of dedication and commitment not only from the students but their school communities as well...

RUSSELLVILLE -- The Russellville Community Center will host its second annual Russellville Small Business Market Holiday Showcase on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. More than 50 vendors will take part, offering a variety of fiber and yarn craft, including stuffed animals, toys and blankets...

Ho! Ho! Ho! ‘Tis the season for giving and thinking to finalize tax considerations when reflecting on the past calendar year. You may receive a return of a 50 percent direct credit to your tax bill when donating up to $200 per individual and $400 for couples filing jointly, given to an Indiana funded university...

To the Editor: On behalf of the Putnam County Board of Realtors, I would like to thank the record number of community members that attended our 22nd and final bingo event on Saturday, Nov. 11. Thank you to First National Bank for seeding the pot for the Bonanza game with $500. It went on to pay out $800 to one lucky winner...

The fourth-annual Winter Wonderland Lights Festival will take place Dec. 2-Jan. 6 at Robe-Ann Park in Greencastle, Friends of the Park has announced. “The Visitors Center launched this program in 2020 with the leadership of Kate Knaul and the help of the Greencastle Civic League, agreeing to a five-year sponsorship with a goal to increase local quality of life and add to the county’s winter events that encourage people to drive in and visit,” Eric Freeman, executive director of the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau said. ...

While the holidays may come only once a year, the DePauw University School of Music’s Annual Holiday Gala comes twice –– Saturday, Dec. 2, and Sunday, Dec. 3. This year’s festivities will be presented in two performances in Kresge Auditorium at DePauw University’s Green Center for the Performing Arts. Audiences can choose the evening presentation of the popular program at 7 p.m. Saturday, or the family concert ideal for children at 3 p.m. Sunday...

With second-place finishes in two different categories, the Greencastle Middle School robotics team is moving on in the state competition. During a Saturday, Nov. 18 competition at Sunnyside Middle School in Lafayette, the GMS Ti-Gears earned second place in the overall competition with a high mission score of 300, just five points short of the first-place team’s score of 305...

For the third straight year, area residents are invited to experience the blessing of Christmas as they journey as a humble pilgrim through the biblical story of Christmas. Follow the Star will open on Saturday, Dec. 2 and run Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays up through Sunday, Dec. 24...

CLOVERDALE — Santa and Mrs. Claus will make a stop in Cloverdale Saturday afternoon. As is tradition, the couple will be the grande finale of the town’s 1 p.m. Christmas parade, organized again this year by Cloverdale Main Street. Following the parade, Santa will proceed to the icehouse at 53 Market St., across from the Cloverdale Township Fire Department...

VINCENNES – In a historic achievement, Vincennes University Student Trustee Gayle Baugh is blazing her trail by becoming the first-ever two-time appointee, a testament to her exceptional leadership and dedication to student representation. Baugh, a 2020 Cloverdale High School graduate, was appointed student trustee to the VU Board of Trustees for a second term by Gov. Eric Holcomb. The Education major was sworn in for her history-making term on Oct. 2...

PUTNAMVILLE — A local church will continue a long tradition this weekend and carry it through the entire month of December. Putnamville Baptist Church will host its Back to Bethlehem drive-through nativity experience throughout the month, featuring a return of an in-person interactive experience on the opening weekend...

In a tradition that now stretches across three generations, members of the Gobert family and others gather for Turkey Bowl LV on a chilly Thanksgiving Day. What started in 1969 as Greencastle High School friends Michael Gobert, Fred Green, Richard Hall, Kirk Fredrick and Jeff Fontaine, among others, has become a South Side Thanksgiving Tradition...