Stories from Saturday, February 12, 2011

SPENCER -- The Greencastle eighth grade girls' basketball team defeated Owen Valley 37-16 Wednesday. Jessica Lenihan led the way with 10 points. She was followed by Callan Taylor with eight and Taylor Stoltey with seven. Sydney Stuckwisch had six points, with Delanie Stoltey chipping in four and Lauren Bridgewater with two...

CLAYTON -- North Putnam's girls' basketball team had a tall task ahead of it when playing Covenant Christian for a chance to reach their first sectional finals appearance since 2003. The 2A No. 9 Warriors proved to be too much for the Cougars Friday night as they fell 64-33...

GREENCASTLE -- It was 378 days in coming, and did it ever come in style. South Putnam's boys' basketball squad finally picked up win number one on the season, knocking off Lighthouse Christian Academy 67-47 Friday night. Having not tasted victory since Jan. 30 of last year, it was a welcomed sight for those in the home gymnasium, the players and the coaching staff...

INDIANAPOLIS -- For the top half of the Greencastle girls' 200 medlay relay team, Friday night was a promising start. For the girls in the third and fourth legs, it was a satisfying ending. The team of freshmen Sydney Cassida (backstroke) and Emily Wheeler (breaststroke) and seniors Melanie Bittles (butterfly) and Sydney Terry (freestyle) swam a 1:58.25 at the Indiana University Natatorium to finish 31st in the state...

CLINTON -- In its first game of the 2011 sectional, Greencastle battled Edgewood early and overcame a deficit to take a halftime lead. Unfortunately, the Mustangs exploded in the second half and ended the Tiger Cubs' season with a 61-29 defeat. Greencastle head coach Bradley Key said it all came down to a shift in momentum...

The Greencastle Department of Public Works will be doing a tree limb pickup only (no other debris) beginning March 1 through 11, following the trash route days as best they can. No limbs over 8 inches in diameter will be picked up. The department will only be making one round down each road and will not be coming back through...

GREENCASTLE -- Entries for the annual 2011 Putnam County Ag Day photo contest are now being accepted. Send or drop off farm photos to the Purdue-Putnam County Extension Office located at 201 W. Liberty St., Rm. 5 (The Courthouse Annex), Greencastle, by the end of the business day on March 1. The photo contest is sponsored by the Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce and Super Walmart...

GREENCASTLE -- First Baptist Church will recognize Joyce Braden from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 19 for her 37 years of service. The open house will honor Braden for her 30 years of service to the First Baptist Preschool and her seven years to Kinder-Dance Preschool. She retired as director of the preschool after spending three decades serving children in the community. Under her direction, the preschool grew and serves 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds through pre-kindergarten...

Kaitlynn Hammond of Greencastle and Matt Hicks of Cloverdale have announced their engagement. Kaitlynn is the daughter of Wes and Jan Hamond. She will graduate from Franklin College in May with a degree in elementary education. Matt is the son of Ed and Michelle Hicks. He graduated with a degree in sports and recreation from Franklin College in 2010 and is currently employed at Crown...

Putnam County Sheriff's Department Damage $1,001-$2,500. Damage $2,501-$5,000. Damage $2,501-$5,000. Damage $2,501-$5,000. Damage $2,501-$5,000. Damage $2,501-$5,000. Towed by Seniour's. Damage $1,001-$2,500. Putnam County Jail Andrew Albertson, 37, Greenwood: Driving while suspended, Feb. 10, 3:10 p.m...

Joe Bennett, center, of Brazil holds the 36-inch Toshiba television he won from Shuee and Sons for winning the Banner Graphic Pigskin Pick 'Em game. Presenting the TV to Bennett are Mark Branchfield of Shuee's and Banner Graphic advertising manager John York...

Evan Lazar takes aim with a little help from his friends. Lazar and many others were at Dear Meadow Primary School's Winter Festival Friday, which had bounce houses, raffles, food and other events.

People driving north out of town had a wait on their hands Friday afternoon when an accident at 894 U.S. 231 had cars backed up. Terry Stephenson, who lives at the address, turned into his driveway and lost traction on the icy drive in his GMC Sierra, which has front wheel drive. He slid back and hit Samantha Hawkins' 2007 Toyota. Stephenson was taken to the hospital with back pain, Hawkins and a passenger were unharmed, according to Deputy Ronnie Campbell with the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.

GREENCASTLE -- A Greencastle man has been formally charged in connection with a January burglary on the DePauw University campus. Mark A. Poynter, 29, is charged with two counts of Class C felony burglary and two counts of Class D felony theft. He has entered preliminary not guilty pleas to all charges, and has informed the court that he will hire his own counsel...

GREENCASTLE -- Local guitar teacher Johnny Little likes to give his students a taste of the real rock 'n' roll experience. For a couple of years now, he's been having concerts for his students, giving them the chance to perform for real audience. The most recent show took place at DePauw's Watson Forum, at the suggestion of Little's friend and bandmate Chris Newton, assistant director of the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media...

The Greencastle medley relay team of Sydney Cassida, Emily Wheeler, Melanie Bittles and Sydney Terry competed at the IHSAA State Finals Friday night. Terry called the experience "the icing on the cake" for a great season. Read about their experience on page 7A.

OWEN COUNTY-- Three people were arrested Friday in connection with the death of a Cunot youth. A news release from Owen County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Greg Denny said Tabitha Jo Blake Lucas, 28, of Quincy, Tracy Lucas, 35, of Quincy and Mark Blake, 47, of Greencastle were arrested on warrants issued through the Owen County Prosecutor's Office...

GREENCASTLE -- Mark and Pat Zeronik are always looking for ways to give of themselves -- and one way they do that is by being regular blood donors. "I first really thought about blood donation when I had a miscarriage in 1967 and had to have a transfusion," Pat said...

Raymond E.C.T. "Ray" Dickerson, 65, of Greencastle passed away on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011. He was born on Nov. 29, 1945 in Piggott, Arkansas to Earl C.T. Dickerson and Ota Mae Book Dickerson. Ray received his bachelor's degree in high school social studies from Oakland City University and a master's degree in elementary education from Indiana University. ...