Stories from Thursday, March 6, 2008

The 25-3 and seventh-ranked DePauw women's basketball team opens NCAA Division III Championship play on Friday, when it hosts Denison University in a first-round game at 7 p.m. The other first-round matchup is between Washington University in St. Louis and Wilmington College and tips off at 5 p.m. The winners meet in Saturday's 7 p.m. second round game for the right to advance to the sectional round...

For the second consecutive week, eighth-ranked DePauw softball swept the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors for games played from February 25 through March 2. Junior outfielder Chelsy Patterson was named the SCAC Offensive Player of the Week after hitting .429 (6-14) and slugging .786 with a triple and a home run in four wins including a victory over 14th-ranked Coe College. Patterson drove in five runs and scored three times...

Sheriff's Dept. Several accidents occurred March 3. Damage was estimated at $1,100-$5,000. Putnam County Jail Several people were booked into the Putnam County Jail recently. City Police The Greencastle Police Department responded to several accidents recently...

CLOVERDALE -- Crossroads USA Arena and Expo marked its first event last weekend with the 2008 Cloverdale Invitational Rodeo. Although the horse arena will not open officially until next week, this event is just the first of more than 20 shows scheduled for 2008. State Rep. Amos Thomas (R-Brazil) is one of many local and state officials who worked to see this project come to fruition...

Maxine "Macky" Sutherlin Hill, 86, Greencastle, died Tuesday at Regional Hospital in Terre Haute. Born in Greencastle, she was the daughter of Peter and Effie Taylor Sutherlin. She was a member of Hanna Street Baptist Church, and was actively involved with her husband's ministry over the years...

Charles Robert Birkemeier, 71, Greencastle, died Wednesday morning at his residence. Born in Vevay, Ind., he was the son of Charles William and Jeanette (Monroe) Birkemeier. He was a graduate of Reelsville High School and attended Purdue University...

Mary Ann Allen, 71, Fillmore, died Wednesday morning. Born in Washington, Ind., she was the daughter of Dallas and Katherine Adams Thurston. She was a homemaker and former owner and operator of Nivloc's Pizza in Fillmore. Survivors include husband Morris Allen; sons, Joe Colvin and wife Sandra, Mooresville, Jerry Colvin, Texas, Tony Colvin and wife Susie, Texas, and Dustin Colvin, Fillmore; daughter Felicia Burkat, Coatesville; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren...

Mental Health America of Putnam County is soliciting nominations for its annual awards for Person of the Year and Educator of the Year. The Mental Health America Person of the Year Award recognizes an individual in the community who has shown outstanding dedication to improving mental health and wellness of individuals and families and who tirelessly promotes the mission of Mental Health America of Putnam County...

Drivers that fail to "move over or slow down" for emergency vehicles with their lights flashing may find themselves with a class A infraction, according to an announcement from Lieutenant George Schneider, commander of the Putnamville State Police Post...

On Feb. 26, staff at the Putnamville Correctional Facility made what they are calling "a significant discovery." While performing a routine morning inspection of an off-grounds area, more than 55 grams of cocaine, with a street value of approximately $5,000 was reportedly discovered. The drugs had been divided into small packets, most likely intending for it to be smuggled into the facility, a spokesman from the facility said...

One man is dead and several others were hospitalized as a result of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning at a home near Union Chapel Wednesday morning. Putnam County Coroner Thomas Miller said 90-year-old Wayne Phipps, living in his home on North CR 600 West, was found dead by family members shortly before 8 a.m. He lived alone...