Stories from Saturday, June 2, 2007

When people in Putnam County complain about their high property taxes, the bulk of which go to support local schools, Gov. Mitch Daniels says they might only have themselves to blame. Having four school districts, along with the cost of four administrations, is a financial burden that also penalizes students by preventing funding from being spent on needed programs, the governor told the BannerGraphic in a press conference Friday afternoon...

More than one lap around the earth. A total of 27,851 miles to be exact. That is how far students at Tzouanakis Intermediate School walked during the Fitness Fanatics program this school year. With a goal of 25,000 miles to take them around the globe, the Tzouanakis students planned to eclipse last year's record by 3,000 miles. But they almost doubled those efforts...

There will be six weekly performances, with the music beginning at 7 p.m. The opening concert features The Fret Set, a band specializing in dulcimer music. The June 12 show will feature Harriet Moore and Pamalee Smith who perform classical music on harp and flute...

Sept. 3, 1945-May 31, 2007 Virginia "Aunt Ginny" L. Bray, 61, Crawfordsville, died Thursday at St. Clare Medical Center, Crawfordsville. Born in Crawfordsville, she was the daughter of Louie "Speed" and Mary Kelsey-Davis. A homemaker, she worked at R.R. Donnelley and Son's-Glenn Street...

June 15, 1922-June 1, 2007 Marthanna Kirts, 84, Danville, died Friday. Born in Carmel, she was the daughter of Lewis F. and Sarah Johnson Hussey. She was a homemaker and a member of White-stone Christian Church. She married Charles Russell Kirts, who preceded her in death...

April 16, 1941-May 31, 2007 William "Bill" R. Rolls, 66, Greencastle, died Thursday at his residence. Born in Forest City, Pa., he was the son of Albert and Marian (Maculaitis) Rolls. He was a graduate of Vestal High School in New York He was an U.S. Army Veteran of the Korean War. He worked as a security guard with the Pinkerton Security company for several years. He was previously a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service, worked at IBM and at the IYC Boys School in Plainfield...

CLAYTON -- For North the Putnam baseball team, Friday was a chance it could not let slip past. Three consecutive years the Cougars had come into the Cascade Sectional as the favorite to win. The first two times they had failed to do so. Friday they were not going to let it slip away. Not to county rival South Putnam, who had defeated them in the final last year. Not with their ace on the mound...

BLOOMINGTON -- Andy Weatherford's quest for a third straight 1,600 meter state title slipped away on the last lap, he eventually finished in fifth place to cap off a spectacular high school track career Friday night. "It's disappointing," Weatherford said. "You work all year for this and it kind of falls apart right there at the end."...

Staff reports The Greencastle boys' golf team scored big back-to-back victories Wednesday and Thursday as it gears up for sectional play next week. On Wednesday, GHS defeated South Putnam 317-356 with Luke Crimmins leading the way with an 18-hole total 76. Eric Davis followed with a 77 and David Lilly shot an 81...