Stories from Wednesday, October 10, 2012

While walking the dog around the subdivision the other day, a dirty, crumpled newspaper blew out of the shrubbery to our west, dancing and darting its way across whatever little pavement is still intact on our street. In my mind I saw not a yellowed page of newsprint, drifting along, minding its own business, but that dainty dancing white feather from the opening and ending of the film "Forrest Gump." A simple symbol perhaps of the randomness of fate and destiny cast upon the wind...

To the Editor: On Oct. 5, the Putnam County Public Library presented the finest program that I have witnessed in our community in many years. "A Conversation with the Artists: Norbert Krapf, Richard Fields and Gordon Bonham" was a wonderful blend of poetry, photography and blues music that had the audience clapping for more...

To the Editor: Later this fall, the Environmental Protection Agency will decide on a waiver request for the Renewable Fuel Standard -- the country's most successful energy policy in more than 40 years. If the EPA goes forward with the waiver, it will drastically impact not only the direction of our country, but the future of communities that rely on agriculture and renewable fuel. ...

County Jail Several people have been booked into the Putnam County Jail recently. On Friday, Oct. 5 at 11:28 p.m. Debra Leen Fisher, 48, Fillmore, was arrested for probation violation. On Saturday, Oct. 6 at 1:30 a.m. Roger Patrick Lopez, 42, Greencastle, was lodged at the jail for driving under the influence of drugs and operating while intoxicated...

Three-year-old Keira Stevens rides in a wagon as mom Keesha Bray pulls her along South Indiana Street after a chilly Saturday morning visit to the 38th Berry Street Flea Market in Greencastle's South End.

McCloud Nature Park is having its annual prairie maze on Saturday, Oct. 13. The event is free and for all ages. Using only a map that can be picked up at the Nature Center between noon and 3 p.m., attendants search for the hidden locations to unlock the maze mystery and win a prize...

The Putnam County Youth Development Commission (PCYDC) is requesting community support of its 13th annual Coats for Kids Campaign. Boxes have been delivered and PCYDC needs help collecting new or gently used heavy winter coats of all sizes -- for little babies all the way through the teen years at the following locations: Ivy Tech Community College, Area 30 Career Center, Walmart Supercenter, Walmart Distribution, TCU, Kroger, Greencastle City Hall, Putnam County Hospital, Putnam County Library, Courthouse and Curves.. ...

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale building project is well under way and on track to be done by its December deadline. Project manager Dan Sulkoske gave the board a brief update, which stated that work has officially begun on the roofing projects. However, rain delayed the projects for a short period of time...

Thanks to some of the fastest police work this side of prime-time TV, a pair of Greencastle residents find themselves in the Putnam County Jail, charged with burglary and theft. In not much longer than it takes for a "Law & Order" episode to air, Greencastle City Police officers Sunday investigated a pair of weekend residential break-ins, arrested two suspects and recovered the loot from their apartment...

SPENCER -- The Greencastle volleyball team fell to Owen Valley in three sets Monday, losing 25-15, 27-25 and 25-17. Rayleigh Amis recorded 13 kills and eight digs, with Shelby Earl adding five kills and nine digs. Alex Basile tallied one kill, one dig, 21 set assists, seven points and two aces...

The South Putnam seventh and eighth grade football teams played Greencastle Monday. Both teams came away with overtime wins. In the seventh grade game, Mason Burgess hit Christian Zeffel for a touchdown to get the win. Justin Marcum's four-yard touchdown in overtime powered the eighth grade to victory. Keiffer Vittetow and Jonah Sanders both recorded interceptions...

The South Putnam eighth grade volleyball team lost to North Putnam in three sets, 25-16, 25-23 and 15-12. Head coach Amy Cassida said Laurie Nichols, Grace Taylor, Kailee Hawkins and Madison Adams had great serves after struggling with serving in the past few games...

After claiming the conference title Saturday, Greencastle continued its strong performances, placing fifth at Tuesday's sectional meet at South Putnam to advance to the Ben Davis Regional Saturday. Greencastle placed fifth with a score of 138, with South Putnam placing seventh with 158 and North Putnam was ninth with a 294. Cloverdale placed 11th on the night with a score of 322. Avon won the sectional with a score of 48...

The Greencastle girls' cross country team place fourth at Tuesday's sectional meet at South Putnam to advance to this weekend's regional contest at Ben Davis. Joining the Tiger Cubs will be Cloverdale senior Claudia Monnett, who placed ninth Tuesday...

While division and grandstanding seem to highlight national political discourse, Tuesday's Meet the Candidate Forum sponsored by Putnam County Farm Bureau was a tamer, more civilized affair. Shrinking budgets, road building, zoning and community service were on the minds of the state legislature and county office candidates. Afterward, Republican candidate for county auditor Lorie Hallett took a few minutes to speak to Democrat candidate for District 1 commissioner Jeffrey Blaydes...

DePauw University has received the first major gift toward its comprehensive athletics and recreation master plan, which was approved Friday by the Board of Trustees, President Brian W. Casey has announced. The master plan, which calls for a series of phased improvements to the Lilly Center and athletic fields, is designed to provide a road map for DePauw's investments in athletic and recreational facilities over coming years...

On many, many a Friday or Saturday night in Greencastle over the past 60 years, one constant has endured through all those nights. Whether the venue was the VFW, American Legion, Elks Club or Moose Lodge, on more Fridays or Saturdays than not, you could find The John Wood Combo providing musical entertainment for an appreciative local crowd...

On Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 12:15 a.m. Paul Andrew Brown, 45, no city listed, was booked into the Putnam County Jail for operating while intoxicated. On Thursday, Oct. 4 at 12:21 p.m. Jack W. Baker, 47, Fishers, was southbound, rounding a curve on County Road 445 West in a 2011 Kenworth semi. David L. Torrence, 52, Greencastle, was northbound, approaching the curve in a 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche...

Clifford E Hanlon, age 88, died Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 at his Fairmount residence. He was the son of the late Glenn Hanlon and the late Mabel (Beaman) Hanlon. He was born in Greencastle on Dec. 5, 1923. He graduated from Greencastle High School in 1943 and served in the Army Air Corps...