Stories from Wednesday, March 25, 2009

ROACHDALE -- For first year head coach Jim Spencer, the Cougar boys' track team is filled with uncertainty. The team is filled with experienced performers, yet questions remain. Talent is not the question; it's more of Spencer taking stock of his arsenal of weapons and coming up with a battle plan. What he needs to figure out is how to translate individual success into team triumphs...

ROACHDALE -- For North Putnam girls' track coach Kevin Lutes, it's all about numbers. The Cougars squad will go to battle with a limited number of competitors, but Lutes has goals nonetheless. First and foremost is improvement. Lutes believes that although the team might not pull a lot of points, he has some competitors that can make some noise...

After going 1-21 in 2008, the Cloverdale High School baseball team can only go one direction --up. And it's could be a bumpy road. The Clovers head into the 2009 season under new leadership as Bryan Archer has been given the task of turning the Clovers into a winning ball club, but it is not going to be an easy task...

To the Editor: Thank you to everyone who helped out with Knitting for Nets this year! You helped raise over $1,500 for the purchase, distribution, and education on the use of insecticide treated mosquito nets. This amount will purchase 150 nets (matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation makes that 300) and save at least that many lives. ...

To the Editor: First, in the interest of full disclosure, I was employed by Old National Trail for almost 10 years as a school social worker. I have become increasingly disturbed by the exiting of the Greencastle Community School Corporation from Old National Trail Special Services Cooperative in 2010. ...

South Putnam Central Elementary recently hosted 16 teams in the annual Indiana Association of School Principals' Regional M.A.T.H. competition, sponsored by Purdue and Indiana State Universities. Over 5,000 students in grades 4,5, and 6 from around the state competed in the 13th annual Math Academic Teams for Hoosiers competition on Tuesday, March 10, 2009...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Statehouse is filled with individuals and special interest groups who come to share their thoughts and concerns about the direction of our state. While I look forward to the work of each day, I have learned to count on your phone calls and emails. Your input and feedback provides a direct line of communication and gives me good advice and information about critical issues that affect our families, neighbors and state...

Carl D. Barker, 81, of Greencastle, died on Monday, March 23, 2009. He was born on Oct. 2, 1927 in Montgomery County to Grover and Bessie Bymaster Barker. He attended grade school at New Maysville and high school at Bainbridge. Mr. Barker served his country in the U.S. ...

On April 17, the Owen Valley High School band will be hosting a battle of the bands. It's like Guitar Hero, only real. The competition is open to any bands looking for some exposure and a chance at a $400 cash prize. It will take place at 6 p.m. in the OVHS gym...

A jury recently found a former Greencastle Community School Corp. superintendent innocent of public indecency and nudity in a public park. John R. Coomer, 69, was acquitted in Johnson County Circuit Court of the two Class A misdemeanor charges. Coomer was arrested in Greenwood in October 2007. According to court documents, he exposed and then fondled himself in the presence of an undercover Greenwood police officer in the bathroom of a public park...

ROACHDALE -- Town Council members called a special meeting early Monday morning to discuss several ordinances being prepared by Town Attorney Tom Casey. First and second readings for ordinances on parking, speed limit changes and weight limits on town streets will take place at the next regular town council meeting...

Perhaps the best word to describe the weather in Indiana during 2008 was volatile. By the second week of January, five inches of rain melted the snow on top of frozen ground and created record flooding in the Tippecanoe River. Jan. 29 brought a tornado to the west side of Indianapolis and two people died in a tornado that ripped through Posey County that same night...

The Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department's spring break camp is taking place this week from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the ballroom of DePauw University's Memorial Union Building. Children visited the Julian Science Center and Physics Lab, built roller coasters and were playing Red Rover on Tuesday. They will work on lots of arts and crafts and explore the DePauw campus on Wednesday and Thursday...