Stories from Friday, September 20, 2013

By ERIC BERNSEE Editor At age 66, Thomas G. Hoback is the product of an era in which virtually every red-blooded American boy cherished receiving one particular Christmas present more than any other. Sorry, but this Christmas story doesn't include a Red Ryder BB gun. We're talking model trains. Lionel. Western Flyer. HO scale. Whatever. If one of those train sets encircled your tree on Christmas morning, you were one happy camper...

The South Putnam boys' tennis team picked up one flight win against visiting Crawfordsville on Thursday, a 6-0, 6-3 win by Josh Steward at No. 3 singles. The Eagles lost their remaining matches to their talented visitors in straight sets. SPHS's next match is Tuesday at West Vigo at 5 p.m...

TERRE HAUTE -- The Greencastle volleyball team won in straight sets at West Vigo on Thursday 25-21, 27-25, 25-22. The team was led by it's defense, coach Maggie Walters said. Junior Kennedy Downing had 16 digs and senior Danielle Thomas had 15. Junior Taylor Stoltey had eight kills and 21 assists...

MARTINSVILLE -- The South Putnam volleyball team picked up an impressive four-set win at Eminence on Thursday, beating the Eels 26-28, 25-16, 25-13, 25-14. The tough squad battled back from one set down thanks in part to the serving of seniors Emily Clark and Katie McHugh...

CLAYTON -- North Putnam and Class 2A No. 16 Cascade approached Thursday night's volleyball match looking to establish themselves as the team to beat in the West Central Conference this season. With the Cougars sporting a 1-0 conference record and the hosts sitting at 2-0, the winner would put themselves in a strong position within the WCC race...

Lindsay Robson, 17, is a senior volleyball player for Cloverdale. She has been the team's libero since her sophomore year and is currently in the top 12 in the state in digs, averaging more than 20 per match. In her free times he likes to spend time with her family, watch Netflix with her best friend Adri Patterson and play volleyball. ...

Liz Johnson Senior Greencastle 45

CLOVERDALE -- Greencastle senior Liz Johnson and South Putnam senior Kyndra Boyce finished the first nine holes of the Putnam County Tournament tied for the lead with 45. It took until the second hole of the sudden-death playoff to decide the winner when Johnson's three-foot par putt dropped in to give Tiger Cub's leader the win and medalist honors...

CLOVERDALE -- The Cloverdale girls' golf team had extra motivation going into Thursday's Putnam County Tournament. It wasn't the disappointing second-place finish at the West Central Conference Tournament on Saturday, or that they were hosts. The motivation was a deal MaKayla Moore made with her coach as a freshman four seasons ago. If the Clovers were to ever win the county tournament, coach Matthew Langdon had to jump in pond near the 16th green...

The DePauw University Band and Wind Ensemble will present its first concert of the 2013-14 season this Sunday, Sept. 22 as part of Family Weekend on campus. The concert, conducted by Craig Paré, will take place at 3 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium, located in the Judson and Joyce Green Center for the Performing Arts, 605 S. College Ave...

An Indianapolis man was arrested Thursday afternoon after a traffic stop revealed several ounces of marijuana in the trunk of a car traveling on Interstate 70. At approximately 4 p.m., Indiana State Trooper Yan Dravigne stopped a maroon 2008 Pontiac G6 near the westbound 30-mile maker of I-70 for a broken taillight...

Months of fundraising for the local match portion of a $3.9 million runway project have taught the members of the Putnam County Board of Airport Commissioners a few things. Chief among these lessons: A little more autonomy and flexibility might be nice...

Robert E. (Bob) Gardner, age 84, of Carlisle, Pa., and Punta Gorda, Fla., passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013, in Pennsylvania. Bob was formerly of Greencastle, Ind. Born Nov. 14, 1928, in Greencastle, Ind., he was the son of the late John and Frances (Miller) Gardner...

The Putnam County Non-Food Pantry, hosted by St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Greencastle, will be distributing items from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, in the parish hall at 520 E. Seminary St. In order to be eligible for these items, persons must bring proof of Putnam County residency...

City Police Three recent arrests were reported by Greencastle City Police officers. -- At 8:37 p.m. Thursday, Jeffery Everman, 50, Greencastle, was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Arrested by Sgt. Charles Inman, Everman was stopped at the entrance to the 911 dispatch center when Inman reportedly saw him struggling to control his motorcycle...

Rain didn't deter people from attending the 54th annual Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department Chicken Barbecue Friday evening. Not even halfway through the evening more than half of the chicken ordered for the weekend was already served. Richard Wood (above) attemptes to keep up with the high demand as he manned the grill. ...

Sue Murray and Rick Provine will be the featured speakers Thursday, Sept. 26 for the third in the series of "Books That Made a Difference" programs. The free program will begin at 11:40 a.m. in the Putnam County Public Library (PCPL) Kiwanis room. The series is co-sponsored by the DePauw University Library and the PCPL. It is a brown bag event so the public can feel free to bring a lunch. Starbucks coffee, drinks and light dessert will be served...

FILLMORE -- The inconvenience of several weeks of construction work on Main Street should come to a happier end than previously believed for the Town of Fillmore. Work has been going well on the project to add storm sewers along Main Street from Cemetery Road to Fillmore Elementary School -- so well, in fact, that new work has been added to the project with no out-of-pocket expense to the town...

ROACHDALE -- North Putnam Community School Board discussed topics including a decline in student population, bus routes, Quality Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) and the upcoming budget during its regular meeting Thursday night. Superintendent Dan Noel informed the board that student population is down 62.5 students this year. Noel was unsure of the reasons for the decline in student population...

James Edward "Ed" Minnick, 93, of Bainbridge, passed away on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013. He was born on Feb. 27, 1920 in Putnam County to Curtis Minnick and Sallie Priest Minnick. Ed served his country in the U.S .Air Force, and retired from the Bainbridge Post Office where he was a rural letter carrier...

The North Putnam girls' soccer team lost at Tri-West on Thursday 5-0. The Cougars played solid defense, NPHS coach Willie Gaskins said, but couldn't get enough offense to match the athletic Bruins. "Between the defense and Claire (Sims), they both played phenomenal tonight," Gaskins said. "We had a few shots on goal tonight, but nothing could get past their keeper."...

Nine local restaurants and food providers will be offering samples of their specialties Saturday at the fourth annual Taste of Putnam County. Hosted by the Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce and Dixie Chopper Business Center, the 2013 event is scheduled for 4-8 p.m. Saturday at the Dixie Chopper Business Center at the Putnam County Airport...