Stories from Wednesday, June 26, 2013

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Division of Homeland Security (DHS) and our partners at the National Weather Service want you to know that this week, June 23-29, 2013 is Lightning Awareness Week. Throughout the week DHS will be sharing tips, facts and statistics on this deadly and destructive force of nature on the City of Indianapolis website and on Twitter and Facebook...

Now that summer's here, electric bills will be going up. However, consumers can take a number of no-cost and low-cost steps that will help keep energy costs in check. The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) offers a number of consumer tips for reducing summer electric bills...

PUTNAMVILLE -- Superintendent Stanley Knight recently announced the promotion of Michael Rains, from Brazil, to the position of assistant sSuperintendent of re-entry at the Putnamville Correctional Facility (PCF). Rains, a graduate of Indiana State University, began his career with the Indiana Department of Correction at Putnamville in 2007. ...

On Thursday, May 23, Julie Dix' Cloverdale High School family and consumer sciences class presented the Putnam County Hospital Cancer Center with four hand-made lap quilts. When asked what the donation meant to the Cancer Center, Rhonda McCammack, RN said, "It means a lot to the Cancer Center staff that the students at Cloverdale High School dedicated so much time and effort into something our patients will appreciate so much." These quilts were made with donated material, including some material donated by Cloverdale High School staff members and were primarily worked on during the second semester.. ...

Mill Pond Community Service Representative Brooke Trissel is looking to form a team of more than 50 people to participate in the fight against cancer. The Hendricks County Strides Against Cancer 5K walk/run will take place on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 9 a.m. Trissel is hoping to create a team, "Putnam County Cure" that includes community members from all over Putnam County...

County Jail Several people were booked in to the Putnam County Jail recently. At 3:23 p.m. on Friday, Desmond Lee Scales, 33, Greencastle, was booked in on a probation violation. At 8:42 p.m. on Friday, Joshua Ray Whelchel, 26, Poland, was charged with possession of marijuana...

A staff member from U.S. Senator Dan Coats will visit Terre Haute 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, July 27, at Indiana State University in the Heritage Lounge. The staff member will be available to meet with local residents and assist Hoosiers experiencing problems with federal agencies...

Putnamville United Methodist church will be holding an ice cream social on Sunday, June 30 from 12:30- 3 p.m. Ham sandwiches, hot dogs, coney dogs, chips, tea, lemonade, soft drinks, pies and cakes will be available. This is open to the public and is a free will offering and will also be taking donations for the Putnam County food pantry. Live music by "Upward Journey" will also be there...

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce handed out scores Tuesday to all 150 state legislators for their voting records on pro-economy, pro-jobs legislation during the 2013 General Assembly. All three local legislators received generally favorable scores from the Indiana Chamber...

The Greencastle Civic League will host its third annual Junior Tennis Tournament on July 13 and 14 at the DePauw University outdoor courts. The event is open to kids between the ages of 5-18. All participants will receive a T-shirt and a medal, and there will be trophies for age-division winners and runners-up...

The Eighth annual Dog Costume and Fashion Contest is set for Thursday, July 4 as part of the Independence Day activities at Robe Ann Park. The event begins at 10 a.m. at the park maintenance building, with registration at 9:30 a.m. Helping Pawz Animal Rescue of Putnam County is the organizer of this year's Dog Fashion Show event...

As Putnam County awaits employment additions at some major local employers, the jobless figures in the county held steady from April to May. For the second straight month, the county reported an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent, which was good for a seven-way tie for 35th best in the state...

Playing their "mongrel music" at the Robe Ann Park bandshell Tuesday night, the Mongrel Dogs performed for another good ParkFest crowd. The duo of (from left) Istvan Csicseray-Ronay and Ron Dye again performed with fellow DePauw professor and harmonica player Alex Puga. The group followed John Bean, who opened Tuesday's show. The Tuesday, July 2 show will feature the Covered Bridge Country Chorus and the Fret Set...