Stories from Thursday, October 22, 2009

In a year where most people are finding themselves struggling to survive, Chad Collins is having the best year of his life. For the professional golfer, 2009 has been a year of great success and lucrative earnings. "This is the best year I have had on the tour," Collins said...

CLOVERDALE -- Fall and Halloween festivities will be offered at Lieber State Recreation Area, Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, as the Lieber staff and the Friends of Cagles Mill Lake present Gobble-uns Weekend. On Oct. 30, fall-color boat rides will be offered at 4 and 5 p.m. Cost is $1 per person. The limited seating will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Those interested should meet at the boat docks...

GREENCASTLE -- For the protection of patients, visitors and staff, the Putnam County Hospital has chosen to implement an age restriction for visitors during this year's flu season. It is recommended parents do not bring children aged 16 years or younger to visit the facility. This temporary age-based restriction is effective immediately...

Putnam County Jail James Beaman, 23, Greencastle, was booked into the Putnam County Jail at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday for petition to revoke probation. Joshua Hartley, 27, Greencastle, was booked in at 8:06 a.m. Tuesday for theft. Joseph O'Connor, 39, Greencastle, was booked at 4:56 p.m. Tuesday for petition to revoke probation...

Eugenia June Hayden, 64, of Stilesville died on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 at her home. She was born in Stilesville on Feb. 21, 1945, the daughter of Elvin Eugene and Ruby Ramsey Scotten. She married Larry Hayden, and he preceded her in death. Mrs. Hayden was a homemaker, worked 15 years at the Mill Creek Inn and worked at Danville Regional Rehab Center for 4 1/2 years. She was a member of Stilesville Baptist Church...

GREENCASTLE -- On Saturday, the Putnam County Board of Realtors (PCBR) will host a charity bingo night at the Putnam County Fairgrounds Community Building. The event is open to the public and will begin at 6:30 p.m., with an early bird game at 6 p.m...

RUSSELLVILLE -- The town board voted to accept additional employment for the water department during its Wednesday meeting. Jim McAfee has been named assistant water superintendent. He is replacing Chester Leatherman, who retired in July. McAfee took over the job responsibilities Aug. 1...

GREENCASTLE -- The Putnam County Community Foundation announced that volunteers for the Putnam County Giving Tree are already hard at work getting ready for the Christmas season. The officers of the organization expect the need to be greater this year, and established a Fund that will be administered by the Community Foundation. Contributions to the Fund will be used to provide Christmas gifts for children of eligible families who request assistance...

GREENCASTLE -- Members of St. Paul's Catholic Church were busy packing and repacking cases of nuts as they prepared orders Tuesday morning. The nuts are part of one of the church's large fundraisers done in conjunction with their Christmas Bazaar on Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m...

BAINBRIDGE -- A task force that began meeting last spring at North Putnam High School is moving forward with plans to help at-risk students in the community. The group originally grew out of the Wellness Committee put together at North Putnam schools last year...

GREENCASTLE -- Justin Long has been named as Putnam County's new chief deputy prosecutor. Long was tapped by Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter to replace Donald VanDerMoere, whose last day on the job was Wednesday. VanDerMoere was chosen by caucus to serve out the remaining term of Owen County Prosecutor Allan Fountain, who died in September...

Musicians are just like the rest of us. If you don't believe it, take a look at the liner notes for Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy. Mulcahy, the former front man of indie rockers Miracle Legion, opens the notes with these beautiful, tragic lines: "Melissa Rich was my wife. She died last year. We were in love and happy. We had become one thing, our own secret inside the world we invented. We knew that we were lucky."...

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds' latest romantic offering The Proposal is a color by numbers comedic romp that tries hard to please, but never lives up to its billing. Andrew Paxton (Reynolds) has dreams of becoming an editor and selling his manuscript, but as of now, he is relegated to being his boss Margaret Tate's (Bullock) flunky. Fetching coffee, pulling her out of unwanted meetings and essentially being her lapdog...

Bonnie Jean Goff, 67, of Waynetown, died Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 in Boone County. She was born April 5, 1942 in Sumerco, W.V., the daughter of Joseph W. and Dona L. Pauley Phillips. She was a 1959 graduate of Russellville High School. Ms. Goff was a retired flight attendant for ATA and a former Marion County Sheriff's Deputy. She was a member of Friendship Baptist Church in Crawfordsville, where she taught Sunday school...