Stories from Friday, June 26, 2015

Bainbridge Elementary Student Council was recognized by the Indiana Association of Student Councils (IASC) as an honor council for the 2014-15 school year. Only 25 schools with student councils in the state are recognized each year...

Despite funding cuts and changes being made in the school system to make up it, North Putnam Community School Corporation continues to make strides when it comes to student academics. Superintendent Dan Noel said for the first time in the history of the corporation, North Putnam overall is considered an 'A' school through the Indiana Department of Education's (DOE) A through F accountability scale for the 2013-14 school year...

BAINBRIDGE -- Students at Bainbridge Elementary School learned firsthand this past school year how recycling can be helpful to the environment. During the last three months of school, students collected plastic caps and lids to be reused and recycled into a plastic bench for the school...

In the first year North Putnam's Graphic Design entered pieces into the Scholastic Art Awards Regional Competition, the students fared well. Program director Amanda Kramer described the Scholastic Art Awards as "the largest and oldest juried art and literary exhibitions in the United States." Past noteworthy winners include artists Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana; writers Sylvia Plath and Truman Capote; actors Robert Redford and John Lithgow...

In the test-driven atmosphere of modern education, nothing sells quite like results. In the struggle for classes outside the English-math-science core to continue to prove their relevance, North Putnam agriculture teacher Kate Skirvin simply looks for ways to relate the program's hands-on opportunities back to the lessons of the classroom...

North Putnam Community School Corporation Superintendent Dan Noel said upkeep on the schools is important to maintain a clean, positive learning environment. Each of the schools in the district are undergoing a series of renovations ranging from upgrading the heating and cooling in the buildings to updating security cameras. At Roachdale and Bainbridge elementary schools, a series of $2 million projects for debt service...

With his first year as principal under his belt at North Putnam High School, Jason Chew has to be wondering what he and his school can do for an encore. After all, for the third straight year, North Putnam has earned 4-Star status (based on testing) as the only school in Putnam County to do so. ...

In an educational and professional environment that is constantly changing, keeping the curriculum relevant is an ongoing challenge for agricultural educators. North Putnam ag instructors Kate Skirvin and Janna Oxford got a powerful new tool this spring with the addition of a new greenhouse...

Russell E. Dreher, 77, of Greencastle, passed away on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at his daughter's home. Russell was born on Oct. 8, 1937. He was a customer engineer for IBM for 35 years, retiring in November 1992. He had been a marksman and radio operator in the U.S. Army for six years and served in Korea during this time. He was a member of the VFW and a lifetime member of the American Legion...

Laura Mae (Brinson) Tucker, 83, passed away Thursday, June 25, 2015 at Mill Pond Rehabilitation in Greencastle. She was born Jan. 7, 1932 in Owen County. She was the daughter of Clayton and Flossie (Watkins) Brinson. She married Leonard Tucker in 1951, and he survives...

As a stalwart of the Purdue University basketball program in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Bob Ford scored a lot of points. But now, as the director of the Purdue President's Council, he basically makes one point: To say thank you...

Indiana State University has announced its dean's list for the spring semester of 2015. To be eligible for the list, students must be enrolled full time and maintain a minimum 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Area students making the dean's list are SHELBY BONEBRAKE, TED CALLENDER, MALLORY CASH, CASSIDY CRAWFORD, JEFFREY CUNNINGHAM, RACHEL CUSTIS, BRANDI FIELDEN, MEGAN GUTHERIE, SETH HAMMOND, KELLY HAYDEN, MICKENZIE KEAN, MATTHEW LANE, DAKOTA MILLER ADAM PECK, NICHOLAS THARP and DUSTIN YORK of Greencastle; NICHOLAS ARCHER, RYAN CHESNUT, LEVI HALTOM, VANESSA RICHARDSON, MARIAH OETKEN and AISA TERRY of Cloverdale; CAITLYN BOYCE, KYNDRA BOYCE and JENNA GREESON of Fillmore; CAMERON CALLAN, BAILEY GEOFF and DEREK STEELE of Coatesville; EMILY CLARK, KAELYNN COX and SAMANTHA JONES of Reelsville; WENDY COX and COURTNEY SMITH of Roachdale; MAKAYLA ALBEN of Waveland; MARIAH MINNICK of Poland; and LAUREN MOSTELLER of Bainbridge.. ...

Fillmore United Methodist Church is teaming up with the Fillmore Christian Church to host "Apple Power VBS -- The Power of Jesus" from Monday, July 6 through Thursday, July 9. The three-night VBS will run July 6-8 at the Fillmore United Methodist Church, with a free family dinner being served each night at 6 p.m. followed by songs, live drama, Bible lessons, crafts and games for children age three through students entering fifth grade...

Happy 95th birthday to Betty Jean Giddings on Sunday, June 28. Family and friends are invited to a celebration open house at her home from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday.

Due to Cloverdale High School being closed the first week in July, there will not be a Caregivers' Support Group in the Knoy Center on the first Thursday, July 2. Organizers hope to have a Thursday, Aug. 6 meeting, but that is still to be determined...

Putnam County Comprehensive Services sent 43 athletes to Indiana State University on June 12-14 to compete in the Special Olympics. The local athletes competed in bocce, horseshoes, track, volleyball and bowling. Participation in the event was made possible in part by support from Greencastle Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge 4388...

Sheriff's Department Putnam County Sheriff's Department deputies responded to a pair of recent property damage accidents. At 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, Deputy Kyle Gibbons was dispatched to the area of County Road 50 South near County Road 525 East for a single-vehicle accident...

The following cases were filed in Putnam County courts recently. Criminal Cases Briana C. Petrarca, 27, Greencastle, Level 6 felony theft Steve G. James, 35, Poland, Level 6 felony theft Randy S. Haltom, 41, Danville, Level 6 felony theft, Class A misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia...

A South Putnam student hopes to take down a couple steers during the world's largest rodeo in Wyoming. Dylan Watson, a South Putnam senior, will be participating in the 67th annual National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) steer wrestling contest July 12-18 in Rock Springs, Wyo...

FILLMORE -- A Marion Township man was stuck in mud for more than a day following a Wednesday mowing accident. At 2:50 p.m. Thursday, the Fillmore Community Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to County Road 300 South on a report of a man in his 70s who had been stuck in a mud hole since Wednesday...