Stories from Thursday, August 9, 2012

ROCKVILLE -- A Cloverdale man convicted of six felonies relating to an Aug. 2011 murder will spend the rest of his life in jail. Parke Circuit Court Judge Samuel Swaim sentenced Jeremy L. Musall, 27, Cloverdale, to 165 years in prison for the murder of Joseph Snow...

At least 55,200 Indiana students -- and probably many more -- are missing so much school each year that they suffer academically and face a greater risk of dropping out of high school, according to a groundbreaking study released today. These students are "chronically absent," missing at least 10 percent of the 180-day school year -- 18 days a year, an average of two days a month. ...

The Knights of Columbus council 6989 of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic church presented Care Net Pregnancy Center's Shelly McFadden with a check for $300 from donations and proceeds raised during the fair parade cookout held on Friday, July 20. The Knights and Shelly would like to thank the community for their support. Present for the check presentation were (from left) Treasurer Jim King, Deputy Grand Knight Ed Kirkpatrick, Shelly McFadden and Grand Knight Martin Romer...

BRAZIL -- The Brazil Concert Band, under the direction of Matthew S. Huber, will offer "Americana" Sunday, Aug. 12, beginning at the special time of 7 p.m. at Forest Park in Brazil. The free concert is scheduled, rain or shine. This week's theme features folk tunes and music with a down-home flair...

The Aug. 27 edition of Dine with a Doc will feature pharmacist and clinical nutritionist Dr. George "Fritz" Maurer. The event will occur from 10 a.m.-noon at the First National Bank, 1128 Indianapolis Rd., Greencastle. Dine with a Doc is a free program that allows the local senior community to hear the doctor of the month discuss an educational topic over lunch...

The Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry recently received a donation of several boxes of food along with a check donation from Charming Shoppes. The donation was an emergency collection as the food pantry is currently extremely low on food. Presenting the check was Chris Ewing and Mark Estes. Food pantry workers (left) present for the donation were Mavis Broadstreet, Betty McBride and Judy Miller...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The drought of 2012 has caused serious degradation to many natural resource concerns in Indiana including wildlife cover, livestock forage, wildlife and livestock water and soil quality. Today, USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Jane Hardisty announced the agency will hold a special sign-up to assist drought stricken producers through the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). Deadline for producers to sign up is Aug. 20...

The 2012 Backroad Bike Tour, organized by Friends of the Parks of Putnam County and the People Pathways Project, is set for Saturday, Sept. 8 in conjunction with Airport Appreciation Days. Participants may choose from one of three routes: 12-, 36- and 67-mile treks...

County Jail Several people have been booked into the Putnam County Jail recently. At 6:45 p.m. Sean Patrick McClamroch, 33, Bainbridge, was lodged at the jail for two counts of probation violation. City Police Two traffic citations were issued recently by Greencastle City Police officers...

Freeda A. Spencer, 72, Mt. Meridian, passed away on Wednesday, August 8, 2012 at her residence. She was born on March 5, 1940 in Richlands, Va. and was the daughter of the late Edgar E. and Winifred F. (Whitt) Bryant. She was married to Ken Spencer on September 21, 1957 and he survives. ...

The first day of school comes with a lot of behind-the-scenes scrambling by school administrators to make sure the groundwork for a successful school year is in place. This year has been no exception for Greencastle Community Schools. Meeting on the first day of school, the school board approved a number of last-minute personnel changes Wednesday evening...

On the coolest morning Putnam County has had in what seems like a few months, runners and walkers lined up for the Mental Health Race, held at the DePauw Nature Park July 28. After the four miles of hills had been conquered and the dust settled, awards for first place went to the first three women: 19-year-old Megan Everhart 29:36, 18-year-old Emily Gill 30:41 and 16-year-old Alex Stoffregan 32:22...

Officers representing five Putnam County police agencies and the Fraternal Order of Police accompanied a record group of 40 local children this year in the 14th annual Shop-With-a-Cop effort. Back-to-school clothes and supplies were purchased for each child during the recent morning visit to the Greencastle Walmart store...

Remaining funds from two Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grants will soon increase handicap access to the Putnam County Courthouse. Putnam County Clerk Marty Watts went before the county commissioners Monday morning, receiving approval for the installation of handicap accessible doors on the east side of the courthouse...

When Jack Gibson, Bill Goodrich and Jay Carpenter formed a band four years ago, they probably didn't know what they were getting into. Three veterans of the West Central Indiana music scene, they had crossed paths several times, but had never collaborated as a unit...

Freeda A. Spencer, 72, Mt. Meridian, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012 at her residence. She was born on May 5, 1940 in Richland, Va., and was the daughter of the late Edgar E. and Winifred F. (Whitt) Bryant. She was married to Ken Spencer on Sept. 21, 1957, and he survives...

A Putnam County man might be 80 years old or more by the time he gets out of prison after accepting a plea agreement in a child molestation case. During a change of plea hearing Thursday morning in Putnam Circuit Court, Frank Nuz, 68, Greencastle, agreed to plead guilty to one Class C felony count of child molestation and a single charge of criminal deviate conduct with a child younger than 14...

Like opening day of baseball season, the first day of a new school year is always awash with optimism and excitement. It's a rebirth of sorts, a new beginning. Everyone starts out with a perfect record. Everyone's batting a thousand. Smiling children file off big yellow buses in brightly colored, freshly laundered shirts and dresses, empowered by their ever-wise moms to make that good first impression on a new teacher. Backpacks are crisp. Pencils are sharp. Let the learning begin!...

BAINBRIDGE -- Hendricks Regional Health Medical group has announced the opening of Hendricks Regional Health Bainbridge, a new family medical practice. Primary care physician Joyce A. Heald, M.D., will be the first physician in the practice. Dr. Heald is a graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine and completed residencies in emergency medicine at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich., and family medicine at Michigan State University Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies...