Stories from Monday, August 4, 2008

By CAREY FOX For the Banner?Graphic PUTNAMVILLE -- If there was any doubt about Dickie Gaines' claim to royalty before Saturday night, they were squashed after an emphatic win at Lincoln Park Speedway. Gaines' third consecutive win at the Putnamville oval came in the 21st annual Putnamville Clash and was his second straight win in the event, which meant a $2,000 payday...

Betty "Ann" Sanders, 77, of Danville, died Friday, Aug. 1, 2008 at Danville Regional Health. Born on March 21, 1931, in Monticello, Ky., she was the daughter of Randolph and Etta Hicks Ragan. She had been a file clerk secretary for Fidelity Abstract and had worked in assembly at P.R. Mallory's and was a member of Club 16 in Fillmore and charter member of Grace Baptist Church, Coatesville...

Charles E. "Chuck" Marvel Jr., 51, of Indianapolis, and formerly of Eminence, died Friday, Aug. 1, 2008 at Clarian Health/Methodist Hospital, in Indianapolis. Born on Aug. 6, 1956, in Indianapolis, he was the son of Charles E. and Patricia A. (Gray) Marvel. He married Teri (Crouch) Marvel on Dec. 18, 1982, and she survives...

The floods that occurred the first of June are still causing problems for 16 counties in Indiana. Recently, Putnam county, along with 15 others, was given a measure of relief. On July 21, Department of Natural Resources director Robert Carter Jr. added these counties to the list of temporary suspension of permit requirements for certain reconstruction projects as well as debris removal...

Putnam County Head Start has announced a new full-day, full-year program in Greencastle will begin in September. Head Start services are available to families who need child care for their 3- to 5-year-olds. Each child will receive hearing, speech, vision and developmental screenings, as well as follow-up care if needed...

Months of preparation have gone into planning this year's Putnam County National Night Out, which is slated for Tuesday. The NNO Committee invites all families with elementary- and middle school-aged children to join the second annual event. Activities will take place at Robe-Ann Park in Greencastle from 6 to 9 p.m. The theme of 2008 event is "Give Crime and Drugs a Going Away Party."...

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) recently awarded the Roachdale Town Council $676,000 in Local Public Agency (LPA) Group IV funds. These funds will be used for the Indiana Street Project in Roachdale. The Town Council Board of Jack Jones, Bill Long and Barb Stout voted earlier this year to apply for the federal matching funds which will be used in road construction of Indiana Street from Railroad Street to State Road 236...

Despite a quiet campus void of students or many faculty members, DePauw University's new President Brian Casey is meeting as many people as possible. The intense 44-year old has been in his new job for one month but has spent only 20 days on campus as he attended a week-long new president's camp at Harvard in the middle of the month...

There have been no property tax statements mailed and no due dates set at this time, Putnam County Treasurer Janet Deaton has announced. "When the new information is received from the state it will be processed and a new due date will be set," she said...