Stories from Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Due to the ongoing drought, the Assure Group, a crop insurance agency, will be hosting an informational meeting to discuss the issues relevant to farmers in these conditions Thursday in Crawfordsville. The special meeting will occur at 3 p.m. at the Creekside Lodge, with appetizers and cocktails to follow...

Cloverdale band to host Thursday night performance The students of Cloverdale's Emerald Command will be presenting a dress rehearsal on Thursday, August 2 in preparation for the Indiana State Fair. Thursday night's performance will begin at 7:15 p.m...

For 61 summers, 4-H'ers have been competing for the Supreme Showman prize at every Putnam County Fair. Unfortunately, there has not been a permanent display for the winners of one of the most coveted prizes of each year's fair. The event organizers and a group of sponsors changed all that at last Thursday's event, unveiling a large sign displaying the name of each winner since 1952 and each runner-up since 1996...

With county and city budget reviews a little over a month away, the question over who will have to review the Greencastle Community Schools budget remains open. Under a law passed this spring by the Indiana General Assembly, the Greencastle Schools budget must be approved by a publicly elected body, beyond the approval of the appointed school board...

The South Putnam Middle School football sign-ups will be Aug. 2 for eighth graders and Aug. 3 for seventh graders. The event will run from 6-7 p.m. each day. Players will receive lockers and equipment on a first come basis. All athletes must have a current 2012-13 physcial on file at South Putnam...

GHS senior Hunter Smith tries to get his second wind while participating during a drill at the high school Tuesday night. The Greencastle Fire Department set up an obstacle course for the Greencastle football team to test its skills. After a grueling few minutes, it was obvious the players had a greater respect for what the firefighters do on a daily basis...

Frustrated by the U.S. 231 detour on Greencastle's south side? Just imagine your car going through this torn up section of Bloomington and Anderson streets. The closure of the highway began on Monday, with workers from Rieth-Riley Construction Co. Inc. ...

CRAWFORDSVILLE -- Two teenagers were injured in a one-vehicle accident early Tuesday morning, which happened on U.S. 231 near Montgomery County Road 450 South. Elizabeth Boswell of Greencastle and Nicole Allen of Brazil, both 19, left the roadway for an unknown reason, to later return as the vehicle began to flip...

BAINBRIDGE -- Sixteen hours trapped under a tractor gives a man a lot of time to think and pray. After all that time alone, Dr. Robert Heavin believes he experienced a miracle this weekend. Heavin, 60, is the previously unidentified man rescued by Floyd Township and Danville firefighters on Sunday morning following a Saturday evening tractor accident on his rural Bainbridge farm...

Just in time for Columbia Pictures' release of the remake of "Total Recall" starring Colin Farrell this Friday, the Banner Graphic's Marquee page is giving away a cool "Total Recall" prize pack. To win a prize pack consisting of a "Total Recall" T-shirt, 1 GB jump drive and a mini movie poster, be one of the first 20 people to answer a simple trivia question...

A 'n J Bowl is now open and planning for the youth bowling season. They will be having youth sign ups at A 'n J Bowl on Aug. 4 and Aug. 18 from 2-4 p.m. Youth registrations are for players ages 4-20. Bowling is the only sport that you can win scholarships for college at this young age. Any youth that registers to bowl will be able to bowl one free game that day during registration, thanks to the A 'n J Bowl. The first day of the season will be Saturday, Sept. 8. If anyone is interested in bowling and can't attend registration, contact Tiffany Friars at 720-3576.

Janice Rowe won the 2012 Putnam County Fair Basket Quilt contest. The red, white and blue piece was put together and quilted by members of the "One Stitch at a Time" Extension Homemakers Quilt Club. The quilt was made using squares from the 2011 block contest. A drawing for the quilt was held on Friday, July 27...

Ruth (Tague) Long, age 90, Pompano Beach, Fla., passed away Monday, July 30, 2012 in South Florida. She was born Nov. 28, 1921 in Hancock County to the late Clarence and Luella Simmons Allender. Ruth was a member of the Greencastle Christian Church and a 50 year member of the Order of the Eastern Star Cloverdale Chapter 36...

Phillip Dean Byrd, 80, of Apollo Beach, Fla., and formerly of Greencastle, passed away on Sunday, July 29, 2012. He was born on Jan. 29, 1932 in Greencastle to Charles Henry Byrd and Iola Chloe Byrd. Dean was a retired truck driver for Schwerman, and most recently had been employed at SKS Management Services Inc. in Florida...

Louise "Curly" Laudig, 90, Cloverdale, passed away on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at Putnam County Hospital, Greencastle. She was born on Nov.14, 1921 in Owen County, and was the daughter of the late Rollie and Ruth (Sinclair) Coffman. She married Joseph E. Laudig on April 13, 1941, and he survives...

The dry conditions have been a menace to everyone living in Putnam County -- including the deer. Lowered water levels have created a larger habitat for biting midge, insects that spread the virus for EHD to deer and other hoofed animals. More than 20 dead deer have been found so far, primarily in the Putnamville and Reelsville area, Department of Natural Resources District Wildlife Biologist Dean Zimmerman said...