Stories from Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Greencastle School Board did exactly what it was expected to do Monday afternoon, much to the delight of the gathered staff and community members. Following a temporary appointment as acting superintendent, Dawn Puckett was officially named the full-time superintendent, to a standing ovation from those in attendance...

Emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive insect that kills ash trees, has been detected for the first time in Putnam and Shelby counties, both quarantined areas. In Putnam County, EAB was detected in a woodlot in Jefferson Township on the north side of Interstate 70...

As the winter heating season comes to a close, Vectren reminds customers the regulatory moratorium, which prevents utilities from disconnecting customers who meet low-income guidelines and have received federal and state utility heating assistance, will expire on Friday, March 15...

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale School Board is moving right along with its roofing project, which is expected to be completed within the next month. The project, which began in June 2012, includes a new roof at both the high school and elementary school...

By ERIC BERNSEE Editor DePauw's Lilly Physical Education and Recreation Center was the scene of another big triumph for the university Monday night. Granted, this time the victory wasn't accompanied by cheering masses and exuberant coeds cutting down the nets in celebration, but it was a triumph of significance nonetheless...

Several people have been booked into the Putnam County Jail recently. At 12:12 a.m. on Saturday, Tara Jean Campbell, 26, Greencastle, was charged with operating while intoxicated. At 3:11 a.m. Collin Brent Branscum, 23, Clayton, was held at the jail for operating while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a property-damage accident...

The Greencastle Middle School wrestling team won the West Central Conference tournament on Saturday, tallying 306.5 total points and winning four weight classes. Cloverdale was second with 279 and two wins and North Putnam third with 273 and four wins...

The DePauw University baseball team opened the 2013 season at home Sunday, but visiting Manchester (8-0) spoiled the Tigers' debut as the Spartans swept the doubleheader by identical 10-2 scores. Manchester jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener on RBI singles by Jordan Niemann and Dan Maringer, but DePauw cut that lead in half in the bottom half of the frame and Robbie Stein singled and moved to third on Zach Galyean's base hit. ...

The road to postseason success just got tougher for the Cloverdale football team. The Clovers have been moved up and will join the Indiana High School Athletic Association Class 2A tournament beginning this fall. Cloverdale will now be one of the smallest 2A football schools in the state...

In the Cougars' man-to-man defense, Brewers' athleticism and agility was put on a display as a help-side stopper. Individually he had more blocks this season (30) than the rosters of both Greencastle and South Putnam. At 6-3, Brewer's quickness was an advantage against nearly every power forward he matched up against...

Senior, North Putnam Forward The Player of the Year, Brewer improved his numbers across the board from his impressive junior season. His totals in points (14.1 per game), rebounds (9.6 per game) and blocks (30) were all in the top-two of the county...

With the DePauw women's basketball team set to compete in the NCAA Division III Final Four this weekend, DPU has prepared a weekend travel package to Holland, Mich. Individuals can sign up to travel by chartered bus, stay two nights and get game tickets...

By GRANT WIEMAN Sports Editor ROACHDALE -- Jameson Brewer doesn't sit back and stalk for blocks, as many weak-side shot blockers do. But when the opportunity presents itself, and when it's within his rotation, he's there to take advantage. Brewer, a senior at North Putnam, was among the best offensive players in the county this season...

Winners of the recent Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department Brickmania contest include (from left) Mason Thompson, 12, Cloverdale, and Stephen Dombrowski, 9, Greencastle.

Jedele Enterprises and the Greencastle McDonald's recently conducted a McTeacher Night for Deer Meadow Primary School, raising $307.83 for the school PTO in the process.

Clara M. Pierce, 83, formerly of Terre Haute and Clay City, passed away Saturday, March 9, 2013 at her daughter's home in Reelsville. She was born in Paris, Ill., on May 1, 1929 to Jasper and Mable (Kline) Spaulding. She was a 50-year member of the 12 Points OES Chapter 528, a member of Nine Mile United Methodist Church at Linton, and also belonged to the VFW 6606 Auxiliary in Clay City and was past District 7 President of VFW Ladies Auxiliary...

When I first took this job I had two goals. The first was to be the best local newspaper sports editor that has ever done the job (though I suppose there is no way to measure this). The second, and most important, was to dispense a series of ridiculous nicknames for local athletes and hope that some of them catch on...

Situated on 240 acres of hills and valley in northern Putnam County, Bugle Valley Elk farm has been raising elk since 2000. This farm has been in the Clodfelter family for more than 97 years, with four generations raising a variety of livestock over the years. It was 13 years ago that owner Gene Clodfelter made the decision to take the farm's livestock in a new direction...

While it is true that most of the Putnam County land area is corn and soybeans, timberland comprises more than 6 percent of the county. The timber industry is very important to the county economically in terms of farm income overall and invasive species certainly provide threats to the industry...

The 21st century brings many challenges in sustaining today's farm families. Since 1935, the population has risen from 127,000,000 to more than 314,000,000 people living in the United States. As of now, the population in the U.S. is growing by 3.3 million per year. ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The 2013 Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Photo Contest is under way. Contest winners will have their winning photographs framed and featured in the offices of the Lieutenant Governor's Family of Business in Indianapolis. They wiill also be the special guests of ISDA at this year's Indiana State Fair, where they will be recognized at the Celebration of Agriculture event...

Ag Day in Putnam County is Saturday, March 16, and the statewide and nationwide celebration is set for Tuesday, March 19. However, it is a month-long event, with Governor Mike Pence having declared March as Agriculture Appreciation Month in Indiana, an extension of National Ag Day on March 19...

Who are the farmers in Putnam County? For starters, did you know farmers makeup less than 1 percent of the population? Isn't that amazing to think -- the means to produce all the foods, everyday products, fuel and other needs are provided by less than 1 percent of the population. Wow!...

The Putnam County Commissioners recently proclaimed Saturday, March 16 to be Ag Day in Putnam County. Ag Day 2013 activities are planned at the Putnam County Fairgrounds Community Building, kicking off with the annual Ag Day breakfast at 8 a.m...

One of the books that many kids like to read is titled "How Big is A Million" and discusses a little penguin's search to find a something that numbers this quantity. Many of the numbers associated with agricultural statistics are in the millions and may be a little hard to grasp...

In the spirit of the Ag Day 2012 theme of "Generations Nourishing Generations," two Putnam County natives from a new generation of agricultural leaders will deliver the keynote speech. State FFA President Cameron Mann and state Secretary Katherine Spencer will give the 9 a.m. address...