Opinion

To the Members of Our Community: As the chief of police for the Greencastle Police Department, neither I nor the officers of this agency condone the appalling actions that took place on May 25 to George Floyd in Minneapolis. As I have reviewed the video of George Floyd, it in no way represents the mission or our training in regard to use of force that is set out by the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. ...

To the Editor: On behalf of the Putnam County Board of Realtors, I would like to thank everyone that participated in our Community Shred Event on Saturday, June 13. The event was sponsored by Abstract and Title, enabling us to provide this secure shredding service free to the community...

To the Editor: The Greencastle Branch of the NAACP would like to offer these words of comfort to people worldwide who are standing up against systematic racism, police brutality and offer words of condemnation to those who prioritize order over justice. ...

During my COVID quarantine I had probably seen the Ancestry.com TV commercial a dozen times before I bit and sent them my $100. Not sure why Ancestry.com won me over. After all, I’ve never had a yearning to build a boat out of Flex Steel tape or make a pillow fort out of a few $20 My Pillows...

Many people believe that addiction is a moral failing and that people with substance use disorders choose to continue using drugs. Unlike people with other chronic health conditions, those in recovery from addiction are blamed for their problems. More than 70,200 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids — a twofold increase in a decade...

With the Fourth of July weekend coming up, I thought it was a great idea to provide everyone with a few tidbits of information related to bites from outdoor pests. First, it is important to realize that some individuals are allergic to insect bites. Therefore, if a person is stung and has a rash develop over most of their body, has trouble breathing, feels dizzy, feels sick, throws up or has chest pains, then it warrants a trip to the emergency room (and/or calling 911)...

One fun aspect of the last several months (no, it hasn’t been all bad) has been the way we’ve been able to lampoon the ever-growing train wreck that is 2020. More than once, I’ve seen memes suggesting that a gremlin is about to get wet, thus making the year even worse than it already is. (If you don’t get that joke, “Gremlins” is available for $3.99 on Prime Video. Stop wasting your life.)...

For some reason I’ve been thinking a lot about my grandfather lately. It’s probably due to a combination of several things. First, my sister called recently to advise that she and I have inherited four cemetery plots in Elmhurst, Ill., near where we used to live...

I don’t know that I ever set out to become a journalist, let alone an editor. And yet here I sit, writing my first Banner Graphic column under the byline “Jared Jernagan, Editor.” I guess you could say there’s been a bit of kicking and screaming along the way...

While there will be in-person 4-H events at the Putnam County Fair and the Indiana State Fair facilities, the events will look much different than we are accustomed to with past ones. Neither of these 2020 events will be the carnival and elephant ear fanfares many expect to see...

There’s a good chance that by the time you read this column, after 36 years I will no longer be editor of the Banner Graphic. Jared Jernagan has earned that role now, and officially takes over as your editor on Saturday, June 13. Trust me, he’s no stranger to the responsibilities, having basically served as editor since May 2019 when my health issues knocked me down and out...

Hello, Putnam County. Jake Widner here from Ivy Tech Greencastle’s ASAP (Accelerated Associate Degree) program just checking in to say that our thoughts and well-wishes are with all Putnam County high schoolers, recent graduates especially, their families and friends...

To the Editor: The League of Women Voters grieves the murders of George Floyd and the countless other black lives that have been tragically taken. We also mourn those who have lost their lives or been harmed, mentally or physically, as a result of America’s pervasive culture of anti-blackness. ...

One of the poisonous hazards that homeowners often deal with this time of year is poison ivy. Some individuals are lucky and never seem to get it, but others can be 10 feet away from it and still end up with it. The best way to avoid the irritation is by learning how to properly identify poison ivy. ...

To the Editor: Human beings struggle with change. Communal rituals help us frame the changes we are going through and provide opportunities for insight that can help us have a smoother transition and gain support from our family, friends and community. Coping with death is one of the most difficult of life’s milestones to navigate...

A great deal is happening at Indiana’s independent colleges and universities during this COVID-19 crisis. Even though campuses are deserted, classrooms are empty, recital halls are silent and there are no shouts of “play ball” on the baseball diamonds, there is plenty going on...

A great deal is happening at Indiana’s independent colleges and universities during this COVID-19 crisis. Even though campuses are deserted, classrooms are empty, recital halls are silent and there are no shouts of “play ball” on the baseball diamonds, there is plenty going on...