Stories from Thursday, January 8, 2009

Steve Fields, former sports editor at the Banner Graphic, will be presenting some of his Favorite Sports Memories through a series of panel discussions beginning Saturday. The event will begin at 11 a.m. and will be a commentary of basketball highlights from Putnam County. The following Saturday, Fields will be discussing volleyball and track at 11 a.m...

After earning second team all-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference honors, DePauw junior defender Beau Sorg has garnered all-region accolades. Sorg was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America all-Great Lakes Region Third Team. He anchored a defense that allowed just 13 goals this season for the 8-4-6 Tigers...

Before Christmas break, the Greencastle boys' basketball team evened its record at 3-3 with a 10-point win over South Vermillion 63-53. Senior Wade Huber led the way by knocking down 5-of-10 3-pointers en route to a 21-point night. Fellow senior Ashton Marshall added 17 points and freshman Nick Hutcheson had eight. Kyle Harlan and Kyle Nobles added six, Justin Bartrum three and Graham Shuee two points in the win...

Jake Zaring and the Dixie Chopper pulling truck are making quite a habit of being invited to the World Championship Truck and Tractor Pull. The 41st annual championship pull is scheduled during the 2009 National Farm Machinery Show Feb. 11-14 at Freedom Hall on the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville...

Sheriff's Department Joyce Hardcastle Cline, Reelsville, was traveling east on U.S. 40 when she lost control of her vehicle due to icy road conditions. Her vehicle rotated in a clockwise direction causing it to leave the roadway before striking a highway sign. Seniour's Wrecker Service towed the vehicle from the scene. There was an estimated $2,501 to $5,000 in damages...

Richard Tony "T.R. Pursel, 31, of Cataract died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009 in Indianapolis. He was born April 20, 1977 in Greencastle to Richard E. and Nadine Gay Pittl Pursel of Cataract. Mr. Pursel was a carpenter. He was a member of the Cataract Baptist Church and Cataract Volunteer Fire Department...

The Rev. Harley L. Weir, 82, of Terre Haute died at Terre Haute Regional Hospital on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. He was born in Vigo County on March 3, 1926 to John and Margaret Moody Weir. He married Naomi Stout on Oct. 30, 1946, and she survives. He was Pastor Emeritus of Christ Temple Church...

The dam at Glenn Flint Lake will be receiving some repairs when the weather cooperates again. The 30-year-old dam has a broken bolt in the sluice gate, which is used to regulate or modulate the flow of water. The busted bolt is causing the gate to stay slightly raised...

Putnamville -- Lt. Dan Jones, Commander of the Putnamville Post, announced that recent Indiana State Police Academy graduate Probationary Trooper Scott T. Probasco has been assigned to the Putnamville Post. Probasco graduated from the Indiana State Police recruit school on Dec. 18...

PUTNAMVILLE -- An Indianapolis woman has been formally charged with Class C felony trafficking with an inmate and Class A misdemeanor possession of marijuana in connection with a Jan. 4 incident at the Putnamville State Farm. Lynette Lauderdale, 22, was arrested after she tried to pass pot to John Shirley, 26, who is serving an 8-year sentence on a Marion County conviction for Class B felony possession of cocaine or a narcotic drug...

Putnam County's first baby born in 2009 finally arrived six days into the new year. Dr. Jamie Cooper delivered Auron John Andersen at 8:44 a.m. Jan. 6 by a repeat caesarean section. The delivery was planned at 38 weeks and the very morning of the scheduled C-Section, Auron's mother, Laura Andersen, experienced labor pains. He arrived weighing in at 7 pounds and 7 ounces and was 19 inches long. He also came with a complete head of dark hair...

INDIANAPOLIS -- State Rep. Nancy Michael (D-Greencastle) has released details on some of the ambitious legislative proposals she intends to pursue during her first session of the Indiana General Assembly. Michael said that while the primary focus of the Legislature will be to enact a balanced budget in a poor economic environment, lawmakers can still tackle many other important issues before the General Assembly adjourns in late April. ...