Stories from Friday, February 7, 2014

Autumn Glen Assisted Living will host a Valentine Wine Social on Thursday, Feb. 13. The inaugural event, which is free of charge, will feature wine and chocolate pairings from Almost Home in downtown Greencastle. Local residents are invited to bring a spouse or a close friend or relative, or special someone and join Autumn Glen in the front living room of the facility from 5:30-7:30 p.m...

Trevor Loudon, author, activist and political researcher, will be the speaker at the Greencastle Defenders of Liberty meeting on Monday, Feb. 10 at the Dixie Chopper Business Center at the Putnam County Airport, 102 Ballard Lane, Greencastle. Loudon, a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, is touring the United States with his most recent book, "The Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists and Progressives in the U.S. Congress."...

RUSSELLVILLE --The Russellville Community Center will host a soup-and-sandwich dinner from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9. The menu will include several kinds of soups, grilled cheese, ham salad and chicken salad sandwiches. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy the food and fellowship...

The scheduled Friday night open house at McKim Observatory in Greencastle has been canceled due to mechanical issues and weather-related access to the facility. The next open house is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

CRAWFORDSVILLE -- A young North Putnam Middle School wrestling squad opened up its season Thursday night At Tuttle Middle School. The Cougars showed promise to their season but fell, 68-28. The Cougars have a lot of new comers this year, which helps them strength up their classes. This is the best turn out for North Putnam in the last several years...

With no threat of Thin Mints melting in Thursday morning's single-digit temperatures, area Girl Scout troop leaders pick up cases of Girl Scout cookies at the Storehouse Church off Westlane Road south of Greencastle.

Joe W. Meador, 74, Cloverdale, went to be with the Lord on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014 in Sun City, Fla. He was born June 2, 1939 in Westmoreland, Tenn., to Burton Meador and Hazel Kepley Meador. Joe was an avid boater and fisherman and a lifetime member of the National Fishing Association...

Katie McHugh, 18, is a student athlete at South Putnam High School. She was born on December 22, 1995 to Mike and Ronda McHugh. She has four siblings Alex, Ava, Grady and Madeline. In school, McHugh's favorite subject is biology and her favorite teacher is Mr. Joey Singleton...

The Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) will host a panel discussion for those who work with children to learn more about the available resources for youth and families in Putnam and surrounding counties. Originally slated for Feb. 5, the forum was postponed by bad weather and will now run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at Mill Pond Health Campus, 1014 Mill Pond Lane, Greencastle...

During the last week in January, several committed individuals spread out across Putnam County from Cunot in the south (actually in Owen County) to Russellville in the north to visit food pantries, Headstart, clinics, other social service agencies and churches to meet prospective vulnerable families and to ask "Where will you spend Wednesday night, Jan. 29?"...

Entries for the 2014 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 Friday, Feb. 28...

FILLMORE -- As part of the competitive process to obtain grant funding for a new fire station, the Fillmore Fire Department is looking for help from the public on Monday, Feb. 10. At 7 p.m. at Fillmore Town Hall, there will be a public hearing regarding the proposed project...

BAINBRIDGE --- Indiana State Police detectives from the Putnamville Post Friday arrested a rural Bainbridge man in connection with various reported sex crimes involving a teenage Hendricks County girl. William J. Brewer Jr., 23, is being charged with three felony counts, child solicitation, vicarious sexual gratification and sexual misconduct with a minor...

With temperatures hovering in the single digits outside and piles of snow just about everywhere, the Greencastle Board of Park Commissioners warmly toasted good news about the proposed splash park project Thursday night. Fresh from the cold and still wearing a Purdue toboggan cap over her blonde hair, Greencastle Civic League President and Splash Park Project Co-Chairman Suzanne Masten stood at the City Hall podium to share the news and a big, warm smile...

While this may be the winter of our discontent for much of Greencastle and Putnam County, all that ice and snow and cold has been a boon to those Hoosiers in the hardware business. In fact, it's practically made Headley Hardware of Greencastle the center of the Ice Melt universe in Indiana and the Midwest...

Three people were booked into the Putnam County Jail recently. At 11:45 a.m. on Friday, William Joseph Brewer Jr., 23, Bainbridge, was charged with sexual misconduct with a minor. At 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, Melissa Hargis-McCulough, 42, Cloverdale, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, operating with a controlled substance and a probation violation...