Stories from Tuesday, February 26, 2008

CRAWFORDSVILLE -- The North Putnam Middle School wrestling team competed in the Southmont Super 13 tournament on Saturday. Five different Cougar wrestlers placed in the top three out of the thirteen teams. Brayden Montgomery was the Cougars' one winner, placing first in the 90-pound weight class...

The North Putnam seventh grade girls' basketball team defeated Greencastle 46-5 Monday night. The North B team also won 13-11. In the A game, Samantha Lucas scored 17 points to lead a balanced Cougar attack that saw seven different girls get on the board. Katie Welch was next with nine points...

Although three of the four Putnam County schools are off until tomorrow evening, boys' sectional basketball opens tonight around the state with action starting at the South Putnam Class 2A Sectional 46. The 6 p.m. opener features two out-of-county schools, but it should be an exciting game for any basketball fan to watch. Covenant Christian (13-6) will take on Monrovia (14-7) in what promises to be a good match-up...

During a season of tribulation for the four Putnam County boys basketball programs, two individuals set career marks within two weeks of each other and gave a bright backdrop to the turbulent season. Greencastle's Brennan Burks and Cloverdale's Craig Blair proved why both are leaders of their respective squads. Both players eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for their career in mid-January and gave fans something to cheer about...

Patient safety was on the Putnam County Hospital Board's agenda this month. At their recent meeting, CEO Dennis Weatherford announced that the hospital had received state grant money for new carts with barcode reading and printing equipment. Barcodes will make it possible for nurses to scan medications to make sure doses and prescriptions are correct and go to the right person. ...

Zelma A. "Zap" Phipps, 72, Bainbridge, died Saturday at St. Vincent Seton Hospital, Indiana-polis. Born in Greencastle, she was the daughter of Rollie and Katherine (Kendell) Royse. She was a homemaker and a member of the VanBibber Lions Club. She married Franklin Phipps on April 21, 1953. He survives...

Dwight L. Smith, 73, Russellville, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Seton Hospital, Lafayette. Born in Putnam County, he was the son of Joseph and Sallie (Lewis) Smith. He was a farmer in Putnam County, having owned farms at the site of the Heritage Lake Dam and the Floyd Center School. He did custom farm work around Heritage Lake and custodial work at Cascade High School. He also volunteered as groundskeeper of the Wesley Chapel Cemetery...

Eve Robinson Loyd, 98, Gainesville, Fla., formerly of Greencastle, died Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2008 at her residence. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John F. Robinson and attended Greencastle schools. She graduated from DePauw University in 1932. Survivors include her daughter, Lucinda Gildersleeve; two grandchildren, one great-grandchild; one niece and two nephews...

Alice E. Covert, 83, Greencastle, died Sunday. Born in Greencastle, she was the daughter of Gilbert S. and Mayme (Gorham) Wood. She was a secretary at Covert Heating and Cooling. Surviving are her husband of 66 years, J.Dale Covert; three children, Sharon Lancaster and husband Earl, Greencastle, Jimmie Dale Covert and wife Cindy, Indianapolis, and Dianna Orr and husband Jim, Dodge Center, Minn.; eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter...

A group of area residents and students have thrown their political support behind candidate Barack Obama in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. The group will gather at 8:30 p.m. today (Tuesday) at the Fluttering Duck in the Walden Inn to watch Obama and Hillary Clinton debate in Cleveland, Ohio...

Who will respond when the unthinkable happens? Most likely, it will be an off-duty police officer. That is the fact area law enforcement agencies are dealing with when they play out the scenario of an "active shooter" at a school, shopping center or other public place in Putnam County...

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department is continuing its search for a suspect involved in Friday's robbery of the Tri-County Bank at Russellville. The suspect, who Det. Mike Biggs now believes may be male or female, entered the small operation at around 10 a.m. Friday and after presenting the teller with a note, made off with an undisclosed amount of cash...

The campaigns are now under way following last Friday's deadline to announce candidacy for the 2008 primary election. When May 6 rolls around, voters will have the opportunity to elect the candidates for the fall general election. On the local ballot this year are the county offices of Superior Court Judge, Auditor, Treasurer, Coroner, Districts 1 and 3 County Commissioners, three At-Large County Council seats, and Republican Precinct Committee members...