Stories from Thursday, February 14, 2013

It's not every day you look forward to a sequel to a movie you felt underachieved, but that's where I find myself after watching "Alex Cross," based on best-selling author James Patterson book "Cross." Morgan Freeman played the title character in two previous films ("Along Came a Spider" and "Kiss the Girls"), but this time the role has been handled off to Tyler Perry, known namely for his "Madea" alter-ego. And don't worry, not once does he don a dress and wig in this film...

Second Nine Weeks All A Grade 9: Megan E. Arnold, Katie Jo Beasle, Chloe N. Carter, Katie L. Hewitt, Adam J. Maynard, Grady McHugh, Ashley L. Owens, Joshua L. Stewart and Taylor Ann VanSickle Grade 10: Allacyn R. Arnold, Olivia E. Arnold, Collin L. Berry, Savannah Lynn Calhoun, Deborah Leann Cheatham, Emily M. Dobson, Brandon J. Hawkins, Ariel BreAnn Higgins, Jessica A. Jones, Cora Anne Neudeck, Chanapa Emma Siripakmanont and Phillip Andrew Williams...

Eighty-eight Putnam and Hendricks County residents were recently named to the fall 2012 Dean's List at Ivy Tech Community College -- Wabash Valley. The college names to the Dean's List any degree-seeking student who has accumulated 12 or more earned credit hours, and who, in the term involved, is enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours and earns a grade point average of 3.5 or higher...

More than 50 Greencastle High School choral and piano students participated in the annual Indiana State School Music Association's District Solo and Ensemble Contest Saturday, Feb. 2 at Terre Haute North Vigo High School. Solo and Ensemble Contest is an annual event that enables Indiana's high school musicians to receive an evaluation on their musical skills from other music teachers from around the state...

On Saturday, Feb. 2 Greencastle Middle School vocal and piano students competed in the ISSMA Solo and Ensemble competition at Terre Haute North High School. The students spent many hours preparing a solo or ensemble piece and performed before a highly qualified judge...

Greencastle senior Evan Smith began his athletic journey with the Putnam County Youth Soccer League. On Tuesday he committed to continue it after high school as a member of the Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis Jaguars. Smith, a midfielder, signed his letter of intent to join IUPUI next fall...

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The DePauw men's basketball team scored the final 10 points of the first half and opened the second half with a 12-4 run on the way to a 70-62 North Coast Athletic Conference win at Wittenberg. With the win DePauw improved to 15-9 overall and 8-7 in NCAC play, while Wittenberg dropped to the same marks of 15-9 and 8-7. ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- After slogging through a sloppy first half, the Indiana Pacers turned up the energy to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 101-77. All-Star forward Paul George quietly dominated the game for the Pacers, notching a triple-double with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists on an effortless 8-for-17 shooting night...

It would be easy to look at the sectional win for Greencastle girls' basketball team and think it was a product of a favorable schedule. The Tiger Cubs were 2-0 against Edgewood and West Vigo before the postseason started, and they're 4-0 against them now...

Bill Eggers never misses a chance to smooch his lady, Ila Reeves, and a Valentine's Day dinner at Mill Pond was the perfect setting for just that. Mill Pond Wednesday night hosted a dinner for the seniors of the community, which included prime rib, salad, mixed veggies, potatoes and more. All proceeds benefitted the Putnam County Senior Center...

County Jail Four people were booked into the Putnam County Jail on Tuesday, Feb. 12. At 6:26 a.m. Joseph Paul Ferran, 31, Martinsville, was arrested for probation violation. At 3:07 p.m. Kristopher Marc Hardy, 30, Greencastle, was lodged at the jail for violation of home detention...

The previously unidentified individual seen on Ridpath Primary School property on Wednesday afternoon has been identified. Greencastle police and school officials say the situation has been resolved and no crime was committed. Acting Greencastle Superintendent Dawn Puckett informed parents of the situation with a Wednesday afternoon notification, saying an individual had been seen walking across the Ridpath property several times recently, as well as at Deer Meadow Primary School once last week...

Homeless people of Putnam County got a long-awaited and much-needed dose of good news Tuesday night. The return of a local homeless shelter is on the horizon and could occur as soon as this April, according to a Beyond Homeless Inc. operational plan timetable shared with the Greencastle City Council Tuesday night...

Entries for the 2013 Putnam County Ag Days Photo Contest are now being accepted. Entrants may send or drop off production agriculture photos taken in Putnam County to the Greencastle Farm Bureau office with attention to Heather Poynter by Thursday, Feb. 28...

ROACHDALE ---- Roachdale has been working on trying to get homeowners to either fix up dilapidated buildings or have them demolished. At Tuesday's town council meeting the council decided to hold off on that project and several others. The council decided the clean-up of those homes is to be put on hold until warmer weather in May when more people are able to work on their properties. This decision came to light after discussing the ongoing case of Sheila Williams...

The truth is out there. That's not some "X-Files" myth, but the longstanding belief of an American journalist whose very name has become synonymous with digging out the truth and dispensing it in a way that has helped alter the way both politics and journalism exist in this country...

Robert E. Lane, 65, of Ladoga, passed away at home on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013. Funeral arrangements are pending with Shoemaker Funeral Home, Waynetown.