Stories from Saturday, August 20, 2011

On July 30, 120 runners and walkers took part in the Putnam County Mental Health two-mile walk and four-mile run. Placing third were (from left) Danielle Gropp (walker), Linda Cullis (run) and Gary Bower (walk). Not pictured is Brandon Welti.

The South Putnam volleyball team lost in three sets to Clay City Thursday. The Eagles lost 25-13, 25-18 and 25-13. Emily Dabkowski had five points and five kills for South Putnam, while Alex McHugh added four kills. Ericka Minor had six points for the Eagles...

ELLETTSVILLE -- A 377-yard advantage on the ground carried North Putnam to a season-opening win over Edgewood Friday night. Hank Spencer rushed 13 times for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Cougars. It was the Cougar defense that really carried the night, though, as the Mustangs rushed 23 times for just 10 yards, for an anemic 0.43 yards per carry average...

SPENCER -- The opening game for the irresistible force and the immovable object, commonly known as South Putnam and Owen Valley on the season schedule, has been a game over the last decade and a half defined by punishing ground games and stout defenses...

MONROVIA -- The Greencastle football squad took to the road to face the Monrovia Bulldogs Friday night. It also unveiled a new-look offense, which helped the Tiger Cubs stroll away with a dominating 54-6 win over the Bulldogs. "I'm extremely happy," head coach Josh Buis said following the win. ...

FILLMORE -- A benefit dinner/concert is scheduled Saturday, Aug. 27 at Fillmore United Methodist Church. The benefit dinner/concert is set for 5-8 p.m. with the concert at 7 p.m. A fee will offering will be taken to raise support for Mission Year inner-city missionary work in Philadelphia, scheduled from this September through July 2012...

A free spaghetti dinner and silent auction on Friday, Aug. 26 at New Life Baptist Church, Greencastle, will help raise funds for Courtney Burks' 11-month around-the-world mission trip. Dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m. at New Life Baptist, 51 Ridgeway Rd., Greencastle, with the silent auction beginning at 5:30 p.m...

BRAZIL -- The Brazil Concert Band, under the direction of Matthew S. Huber, will present "Mind The Gap" in a salute to the United Kingdom Sunday Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. in Forest Park rain or shine. As travelers to London know, "Mind The Gap" appears on the platforms of the Underground, aka the Tube, advising riders to watch their step as they board the subway. The motto also appears on a popular London T-shirt...

Several local families welcomed new additions recently...

Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Huller of Fillmore and Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Lee of Keithsburg, Ill., are pleased to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their children, Tina Huller and Eric Lee, on Sept. 10, 2011.

William H. "Bill" Perkins of Roachdale is proud to announce the arrival of his great-grandson, William James Perkins, born Aug. 1. William James is the seventh generation William Perkins. The newest William Perkins -- or "Will" as he'll be called -- is the son of William Charles and Becky Perkins of Evansville and grandson of William Estel and Debra Perkins of Roachdale. He weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce and was 21 inches long. Pictured are generations 4-7 (from left) William Charles, Williams H., William James and William Estel Perkins.

ROACHDALE -- North Putnam School Corporation Superintendent Mary Sugg Lovejoy had a lot of positive things to say about changes within the school corporation. As the board meeting started, Lovejoy applauded the school corporation for several reasons: It increased enrollment by more than 100 students from the past year, it enrolled a large portion of students online and made good use of its e-funding program to help students pay for textbooks and cafeteria expenses...

FILLMORE -- A pair of ordinances that have remained in limbo for months may soon be moving forward. The Fillmore Town Council did not discuss in great detail either the nuisance ordinance or the water and wastewater collection policy at Thursday's meeting, which had been rescheduled from Aug. 4...

Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman (center, holding award) and Indiana Agriculture Director Joe Kelsay (left) present members of the Stockwell Family from Roachdale with a Centennial Award, one of 72 Hoosier Homestead Awards presented during the 2011 Indiana State Fair. The award honors family farm operations that have been in the same family for 100 years or longer, have 20 or more acres and produce a least $1,000 worth of ag products annually. The Stockwells' farm is located in Morgan County near Martinsville, and has been owned by the family since 1910. Bob Stockwell of Roachdale and six other partners currently own the property.

Mr. Byron Vaughan Snyder Sr., 73, Greencastle, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 at his residence. Born July 27, 1938 in Greencastle, he was the son of Leon and Anna (Vaughan) Snyder and was a 1956 graduate of Greencastle High School and of Butler University in 1960...

Two teenagers sustained minor injuries Thursday in a three-vehicle after-school mishap on East Washington Street, 100 feet east of Indianapolis Road. Robert Bridgewater, 16, Greencastle, was westbound, driving a 2000 Dodge Ram and approaching the stoplight near Dairy Castle. He told police he looked down momentarily to locate his cell phone and did not realize traffic in front of him was stopping...

Hanson Aggregates will host the August Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30 at Almost Home. Activities will include hors d'oevres, drinks and door prizes. All Chamber members and their guests are invited to attend...

The Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce is offering its members the chance to hear details on the new unemployment insurance laws. The quarterly luncheon will be at noon Tuesday, Aug. 30 at the Dixie Chopper Business Center. Indiana Workforce Development Deputy Commissioner Michelle Marshel will be explaining how the new laws came about and how they will affect employers. ...

District 44 State Rep. Jim Baird (R-Greencastle) attended the first interim meeting of the Environmental Quality Service Council (EQSC) to review a host of environmental issues facing the state. The Environmental Quality Service Council is one of the interim study committees to which Rep. Baird has been assigned. Committee topics to be discussed include air quality, water quality, land use and hazardous chemicals...

Reminiscent of Lloyd Ellis's old tin man on Shadowlawn Avenue, this tin man now greets northbound motorists on Jackson Street as they pass Dave's Heating and Cooling. Caught somewhere in between last month's heat wave and the cooler temperatures of the coming months, Dave's employees spent some time installing their new co-worker on the building's roof Friday afternoon. Dave's is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

CLOVERDALE -- Things are tough all over city and town governments, but you'll have to excuse the members of the Cloverdale Town Council if they feel their job is tougher than most. But an $8,600 per month shortfall in the sewer fund is tough for any municipality to swallow, much less one with a population just shy of 2,200...

As the concrete crews worked their way from north to south along Percy Julian Drive Friday, the surface's final white color lagged a couple hundred yards and a couple hours behind. Crews paved a single strip nearly the entire street wide from Washington Street to the Greencastle Middle School entrance. Work will continue Monday as the rest of the road and the entrances to the school parking lots are paved. Once the paving is done, it will take another four days before the concrete can bear the load of vehicle traffic.

The Putnam County jobless picture has seen more ups and downs than the stock market in recent months. After posting slightly improving numbers for March, April and May -- and then experiencing a minimal misstep backward for June -- the local unemployment figure tumbled into double-digit despair for July...

FILLMORE -- Marshal Darrel Bunten used the forum of the August town council meeting to ask for public help in a series of recent break-ins. Bunten said several Fillmore break-ins all follow a similar pattern. The doors are kicked in on unoccupied homes. The targets are primarily items that can be sold for scrap -- copper plumbing or wire, air conditioning units and other metal fixtures...