Stories from Saturday, July 26, 2014

LYFORD -- A 44-year-old Rockville man died Friday evening from injuries sustained when his vehicle was struck head-on earlier in the day by a distracted driver on U.S. 41, just north of State Road 163. Steven Bundy was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, after being airlifted there from Union Hospital of Clinton with internal injuries and multiple suspected fractures...

The focus and intensity of Lauren Johnston's gaze throughout the Supreme Showmanship competition Thursday night at the Putnam County Fair was unmistakable, as was her joy when she was named the 2014 Supreme Showmanship winner. After a few tears and a lot of hugs, Johnston had big plans for her celebration...

Swine exhibitor Hunter Young found himself in an unenviable position Friday night. Not only did cruel alphabetical order place him 119th among those selling hogs at the 4-H Livestock Auction, but swine also sold after all other livestock this year. That meant the Poland teen was the 260th of 260 exhibitors to sell. After nearly six hours and more than $200,000 already spent, the young man could have been forgiven if he was less than enthused at the prospects of a high selling price...

The program to the 2014 Putnam County 4-H Livestock Auction bore a picture of a smiling young man in a baseball cap, kneeling next to a white hog. Below it was the simplest of captions: "Riley Sutherlin." No further explanation was given. None was needed. Any bidders who walked in unaware of Sutherlin's tragic story certainly walked out with a better idea of the young man that he was...

Although the rides had been carted off, the food vendors shut down and the auction held, the fair was anything but over Saturday afternoon for the final event of the 2014 Putnam County Fair: the annual Pretty Baby Contest. Babies from all across the county put on their finest wardrobes to strut, or try to strut, their stuff to an adoring crowd...