Stories from Monday, March 19, 2012

The Greencastle girls' track team competed in the Indoor State Finals at Indiana Wesleyan this past weekend. The Tiger Cubs finished 14th out of 43 scoring teams. Colleen Weatherford, Emily Gill, Kayla Cash and Alex Stoffregen placed fifth in the 3,200-meter relay with a school indoor record time of 10:17.18. The quad teamed up to post another school indoor record time of 13:25.60 in the distance medley relay...

The North Putnam Middle School boys' swim team recently captured the county title by defeating Greencastle 102-74. The North Putnam boys' defeated South Putnam earlier in the season. Placing first from NPMS were the 200 medley relay team of Joe Davis, Andy Rogers, Bailey Allen and David Howard; Jonah Creamean (200 free), Rogers (100 breaststroke, 100 IM), Howard (50 free), Allen (100 free) Davis (400 free), the 200 free relay team of Allen, Creamean, Howard and Rogers, and the boys 400 free relay team of Davis, Allen, Creamean and Trevor Sheldon.. ...

The Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce celebrated a new member on Tuesday. Moore's Bar, recently purchased by Jay and Jackie Hopkins, now boasts a new menu, which includes such items as a Pot Roast sandwich, Billy Burger and new appetizers.

The Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a half-day seminar on developing a business plan from 9-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 10 at the Putnam County Public Library Paul Simacek of West Central Small Business Development Center will give the presentation. The seminar is designed for a new emerging company trying to determine how they desire to run their operations or for an established company looking to implement new ideas or obtain additional capital for the business...

Now is the time to register for the 2012 Dining with Diabetes classes. The four-week cooking class is offered jointly by the Purdue Extension Service and the Putnam County Hospital. The class is limited to 14 participants. The cooking classes will be offered from 1:30-4 p.m. each Thursday in April, beginning April 5. Registration will be accepted until March 30 or when class is full...

The Greencastle Sustainability Commission invites the community to join a discussion, "Tackling the E-waste Problem," this Tuesday at 6 p.m. in City Hall. Led by local experts, including those from Advantage Technology Solutions, NuGenesis, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the conversation will explore opportunities for local citizens to get involved in addressing the challenge of electronic waste...

Jennifer L. Dickey, 31, Greencastle, was behind Owens in a 2003 Ford Windstar and slowed too late, rear-ending Owens' SUV and then going into a fence on the west side of the road. Both vehicles were disabled and towed. Damage $5,001-$10,000. The truck was disabled and towed. Damage $5,001-$10,000...

The Greencastle Key Club is collecting goods for southern Indiana tornado victims, and would welcome community support of this effort. The club is collecting non-perishable food items such as canned goods, boxes of pasta, macaroni and cheese, hamburger helper, instant or canned potatoes, peanut butter, jelly and canned meats...

"Faith, Fear and Failure," the art of Roosevelt's Work Projects Administration (WPA) is the topic of a noon Brown Bag talk on Thursday, March 22 at the Putnam County Public Library. Barbara Racker, Indiana State University's Art Curator, will discuss the art of the "New Deal."...

For the fourth year the Servants at Work (SAWs) Mission of the Greencastle Presbyterian Church is looking for handicap ramps, low-rise steps and safety rails to build for the disabled in Putnam County. During the 2011 build season the SAWs Team completed 20 projects that provided improved access to the homes of residents of Putnam County...

As part of a statewide severe weather exercise, Putnam County Emergency Management will be conducting two tornado drills on Wednesday to test the severe weather sirens. The first siren activation will be between 10 and 10:30 a.m. Dave Costin of 911 Dispatch said the morning activation is intended mostly for schools and businesses...

Mental Health America of Putnam County is soliciting nominations from community members for its annual awards for Person of the Year and Educator of the Year. The Mental Health America Person of the Year Award recognizes an individual in the community who has shown outstanding dedication to improving mental health and wellness of individuals and families and who tirelessly promotes the mission of Mental Health America of Putnam County...

An Illinois man who has been fighting deadbeat parent charges in Putnam County since 2010 has left town charged with much more serious crimes. Sheriff's detectives from Will County, Ill., traveled to the Putnam County Jail on Friday with an arrest warrant for Marcus D. Jones, 31, Mokena, Ill...

The first scoops served up at the Putnam County Comprehensive Services ice cream and sandwich shop were not quite as tasty as those to come later. Nine dips of a mix of asphalt, gravel and dirt were on the menu as the organization broke ground on Friday morning...

For her 16 years of service, State Sen. Connie Lawson (R-Danville) leaves some big shoes to fill as she departs for the Indiana Secretary of State's office. But are those shoes so big they will have to be filled twice? Not exactly, but precinct committee members of Senate District 24 will have to meet twice in order to replace Lawson, first in office, and second on the ballot...

An effort by Dixie Chopper to raise money for the Putnam County Youth Development Commission has been cut short by the Indiana Gaming Commission. Dixie Chopper contacted the Banner Graphic Monday, saying the Gaming Commission had shut down the raffle of a new Dixie Chopper mower for the benefit of PCYDC. The Fillmore-based manufacturer had donated the mower in February to help raise funds in conjunction with the annual Dancing with the Putnam County Stars event...

Now at six months and counting without a functioning homeless shelter in Greencastle, a core group of volunteers continues to ponder the project's long-term viability. Conducting its third meeting in three weeks Thursday evening, the group focused its attention on the financial feasibility of the shelter and the creation of a Steering Committee to guide future decisions...