Stories from Monday, November 11, 2013

Robert "Bob" Berlin Hudson of Poland passed away at IU Health-Bloomington Hospital on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013 at the age of 85. Bob was born in Madison County, Ind., on May 12, 1928 to Edward C. and Mary Hanna (Hewitt) Hudson. Bob proudly served in the Indiana National Guard for 14 years...

NORTH SALEM -- McCloud Nature Park will be holding a free program on woodpeckers on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. Participants are invited to join the park naturalist to learn about nature's excavators, including their dietary and habitat requirements and how they communicate...

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Putnam County Hospital will be hosting prostate screens for the men of Putnam and surrounding counties. The screening is an annual event sponsored by Putnam County Hospital Cancer Center. "Early detection is the key," stressed Sarah Barnes, RN, of the PCH Cancer Center...

The halls of Ridpath Primary School were decked out in Christmas creativity and other attractions Saturday for the annual Ridpath Bazaar. While mothers shopped or manned booths, youngsters like (above, from left) kindergartener Quinton Seaver, son of Casey and Mike Seaver, and second-grader Grace Clodfelter, daughter of Kylee and David Clodfelter, took part in art teacher Dessa Frank's Cookies and Canvas venture. ...

Ridpath Primary School will host its annual Pancake Supper on Thursday, Nov. 14. The Greencastle/Putnam County community is invited to attend. The all-you-can-eat pancake supper runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade can eat for $3 each. Sixth-graders through adults can purchase tickets for $5 each. Preschool children can eat for free...

Local artist Emily Wilson will open her art show, "Rural to Sublime," at the Putnam County Museum Friday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. Wilson will be giving a short artist talk about the inspiration behind her work at 6:30 p.m., followed by refreshments and a chance to talk to the artist about her work...

Are you interested in a local volunteer position with the potential of saving you money? Would you like to learn how to do your own taxes and help others? The AARP Tax Aide program is looking for volunteers. All training materials and classes are free. All volunteers must meet IRS requirements to provide services to local low-income and elderly taxpayers...

Dorothy Mae Bumgardner, 79, of Stilesville, passed away on Sunday, Nov.10, 2013. She was born on April 9, 1934 in Eubank, Ky., to Joseph Pence and Ethel Perry Pence. Mrs. Bumgardner co-owned Bumgardner's Service Station in Stilesville for many years with her husband James. The service station has stayed in the family and is currently owned and operated by her son Carlos...

Jerry Birt happily opened up his cornfield Monday morning near Greencastle. It has been a good but long harvest season for area farmers following a season last year most would like to forget. It is unusual for both soybean and corn crops to be excellent and record breaking in the same year...

North Putnam High School is kicking off its winter sports season with Cougar Night, a pep rally that will include introductions of all the high school winter sports teams, performances by the band and cheerleaders and scrimmages for the boys' varsity and youth basketball teams...

The Winter Heating Assistance Program of Western Indiana Community Action Agency Inc. is under way. The program began for the 2013-14 season on Monday. Putnam County applications will be taken by appointment only, however, the appointment schedule is full through Thursday, Nov. 19, according to a message on the agency's answering machine...

Members of DePauw University and Wabash College Phi Delta Theta chapters will present the game ball to officials prior to the start of Saturday's 120th Monon Bell football game. The ball will be relayed on foot and bicycle between the two campuses this Friday in advance of the classic...

Tuesday is opening night for the 2013-14 girls' basketball season, and when the county teams tip-off tonight in various places around West Central Indiana there are several things I'm curious to find out. One can only learn so much from watching 10 minutes of practice or a scrimmage...

The DePauw football team began the season with an unaccomplished roster full of seniors who had been waiting three years for their chance to lead, sophomores who were thrown into a tough situation in their first year on campus and a new group of freshmen brought in by the new coaching staff...

FILLMORE -- A recent discussion of possible changes in the City of Greencastle water service has Fillmore officials and residents concerned about their town's water rates. At an Oct. 21 special meeting, the Greencastle Board of Works discussed an Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) determination that the city make modifications to its system within 18 months...

To many local residents, the versatile Greencastle Armory has long served as a multi-faceted spot for recreational basketball, auctions, smorgasbord dinners, tool sales and even an occasional circus. Yet it remains its function as a National Guard facility that stands tall -- like the men and women who have trained and served there...

In a classic example of the hijinks that have become rarer in recent years of the Monon Bell rivalry, the windows of the former Bright Futures building on East Washington Street mysteriously turned scarlet and white some time during the weekend.