Stories from Friday, February 20, 2015

The National Weather Service at Indianapolis Friday afternoon issued a Winter Storm Warning for Putnam and 19 other counties, including Parke, Montgomery and Hendricks. The Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 7 p.m. this evening (Friday) until 7 p.m. Saturday. It has been issued primarily for the threat of heavy snow...

Due to a mechanical issue, Republic Services will not have a Greencastle trash truck available until Monday at the earliest. The truck was towed to a repair shop, Republic officials said, and should be fixed over the weekend "Please let the residents know we are going to do our best to get caught up throughout the week," Scottie McDonough of Republic told city officials in an email...

Future renovations and construction projects were major talking points during the monthly Greencastle Community School Corporation (GCSC) board meeting Tuesday night, with $2 million worth of changes being proposed. Superintendent Dawn Puckett clarified that the construction would be part of a tax-neutral initiative, and that "no increase in tax rates" will be incurred from the projects...

The following cases were filed in Putnam County courts recently. Jason L. Jones, 35, Greencastle, Class A misdemeanor driving with a suspended license Raekwon A. Collins, 20, Danville, Class B misdemeanor possession of marijuana Robert T. Robbins, 25, Cloverdale, Class B misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident...

Five persons were booked into the Putnam County Jail recently. At 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Richard Lewis, 38, Indianapolis, was arrested for failure to appear. At 11 a.m. Anthony Allen Williams, 30, Cloverdale, was charged with failure to appear. At 2:45 p.m. John Ryan Sanders, 31, Greencastle, was lodged at the jail for possession of a controlled substance...

Two Putnam County members of the Western Indiana Community Action Agency (WICAA) Board of Directors were honored recently, each for 10 years of services. Honorees are Steve Fields of Greencastle and Helen Webb of Cloverdale.

Rev. Bryan Langdoc of Gobin United Methodist recently presented a $2,400 check to Mary Allison board member Ginger Scott. The money goes to support the Mary Allison Children's Trust Fund which provides medical and educational assistance to all Putnam County elementary students...

Image Loading, a collection of new paintings by John Berry, assistant professor of art at DePauw University, will be on display at the Richard E. Peeler Art Center from March 10 through April 5. The exhibition explores how people involve themselves in myth-making. Berry's work resists vanishing-point perspective, realistic light, and gravity in order to emphasize alternative, non-empirical ways of framing experience...

PLAINFIELD -- Putnam County's finest boys swimmers made the trek to Plainfield for the preliminary round of the IHSAA Swimming and Diving Sectional Thursday night. Eleven swimmers and five relays will return in Saturday's finals as Avon, the No. 1 team in the state, put themselves in position to claim the sectional crown...

A call to Putnam County 911 Dispatch Thursday afternoon alerted authorities to damage to the southeast end of Dunbar Covered Bridge in Greencastle Township. The call came in at 2:57 p.m., with Putnam County Sheriff's Department Lt. Donnie Pettit responding to investigate and a Putnam County Highway Department unit later reporting to assess the damage.

A Greencastle couple was arrested Thursday after allegedly providing alcohol to their two children, ages 18 months and three years, in an incident that was videotaped earlier this year at their East Side home. Ashley D. Wilkins, 22, and Jeffrey L. Wilkins, 42, of 1044 Avenue E, Greencastle, were lodged in the Putnam County Jail Thursday on identical charges of neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony, and furnishing alcohol to a minor, a Class B misdemeanor...

PUTNAMVILLE -- With the frigid cold temperatures and icy conditions west-central Indiana has been experiencing, a disabled or stranded vehicle could make for a life-or-death situation for the driver and passengers, Indiana State Police at Putnamville stress...

Dan Quayle's March 31 Ubben Lecture at DePauw University is being moved to Kresge Auditorium, located within the Green Center for the Performing Arts (605 S. College Avenue). "It was our initial desire to stage this event -- which is a homecoming of sorts for the 44th Vice President of the United States -- in Meharry Hall, which holds 140 years of history and is a gorgeous setting," said Ken Owen '82, executive director of media relations at DePauw and coordinator of the Timothy and Sharon Ubben Lecture Series. ...

The Putnam County Public Library will be offering regular computer classes starting in March. The computer classes being offered are in three categories, Computer Basics, Internet Basics and Productivity Tools. Classes in the Computer Basics category are for patrons that are either brand new to computers or feel they need a more complete picture of how to best use a computer...

After saying goodbye to two long-serving veteran police officers recently, the City of Greencastle now says hello to a pair of rookies. In a unanimous vote, the Greencastle Board of Works has approved the hiring of Joshua Smith, 32, Greencastle, and Brad Hiatt, 35, Indianapolis, for the positions recently vacated by the retiring Capt. Mike Hanlon and Sgt. Terry Eastham...

CLOVERDALE -- Endeavor Communications is once again offering 12 Cedric Ray Memorial Scholarships worth $1,000 each to eligible high school seniors. Endeavor has also teamed up with the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) which has 30 scholarships for $2,000 each...

Diane Meacham, 79, of Lafayette, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015 in Ocala, Fla. Born in Greencastle, she was the daughter of the late James Carl and Reba (Masten) Shoemaker. Diane was a 1953 graduate of Greencastle High School. She earned her BS degree in liberal arts from Butler University in 1957 and her masters degree from Purdue University in 1962...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Secretary of State Connie Lawson announced Friday that some Indiana businesses have received a deceptive letter that may appear to come from the office's Business Services Division. The letter is an attempt to solicit Indiana business owners and is not dispatched by or from the Secretary of State's Office...

INDIANAPOLIS -- It dumps sediment in our creeks, out-competes our native flowers and mushrooms, and eliminates wildlife habitat. Oh, and it can crack your house foundation and break through asphalt parking lots. What is it? Japanese knotweed, an invasive plant from Asia that is spreading in nearly every county in Indiana...

PUTNAMVILLE -- Superintendent Stanley Knight and Putnamville Correctional Facility have announced the promotion of correctional officers Jamie Henry and Vincent Helton to correctional sergeants. "Promoting our officers to leadership positions within the facility not only enhances their job knowledge and strength to supervise, but also makes an impact on our staff," Knight said...

KAYLA L. BROADSTREET of Fillmore has been named to the dean's list of Harrison College Northwest, Indianapolis. To be named to the dean's list, students must receive a 3.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Kayla has achieved a 3.77 GPA and also received a certificate of perfect attendance for the fall quarter...

Greencastle High School students participated in a children's book drive last week for Random Acts of Kindness week. Assistant Principal Jennifer Latham Finnerty, Jason Inglert and Mallory Meyer from the GHS Key Club took 350 books to students at the Head Start program in Greencastle.

Greencastle, 17 other Indiana cities compete for 'Best Communities' title FORT WAYNE -- Frontier Communications, DISH Network and CoBank have announced that 18 Indiana communities have registered for the America's Best Communities contest. Registration is the first step to compete for the $10 million in prize money that America's Best Communities will award to small towns and cities across the country...

Edna L. Minkler, 93, Greencastle, formerly of Cloverdale, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 at The Waters of Greencastle. She was born on June 29, 1921 in Owen County, and was the daughter of Richard Ray Hunsicker and Dessie Delores (Anderson) Hunsicker...

After spending their previous two meetings considering the fairest approach to offer properties at commissioners sales, the Putnam County Commissioners made their decision earlier this week. For the upcoming commissioners sale on Tuesday, Feb. 24, Clear Creek Conservancy will not have the opportunity to buy the Heritage Lake properties for the minimum bid price of $25 in advance of the sale...

Not exactly "burning out his fuse up here alone," Autumn Glen Assisted Living Executive Director Mike Balka (left) joins musical forces with popular local singer Anthony Mullis for a rendition of the Elton John hit "Rocket Man" Thursday night at the senior living complex on Greencastle's East Side. Autumn Glen residents and guests enjoyed the second annual Valentine Wine event, featuring wine and chocolate pairings from Almost Home restaurant, along with music from Mullis...

The new director of Indiana's Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) is ready to go to bat for the rural communities that make up the Hoosier landscape, he said Friday in Greencastle. In fact, William Konyha, who assumed his new role with OCRA Jan. 5 after a November appointment, has already stepped up to the plate by pitching some new initiatives for making rural Indiana communities stronger...

Tri-Kappa sorority's Beta Psi chapter bingo night fundraiser is set for Wednesday, March 4 at Tzouanakis Intermediate School. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with bingo at 7 p.m. Prizes, homemade treats, pizza, popcorn and beverages will be available for purchase on site...

County Jail Two people have been booked in the Putnam County Jail recently. At 6 a.m. Thursday, Chester Thomas Smith, 20, Indianapolis, was charged with battery and criminal recklessness. At 10:15 p.m. Thursday, Larry Ray Fox, 45, Greencastle, was arrested on charges of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, disorderly conduct, public intoxication and intimidation...

The following cases were filed in Putnam County courts recently. Criminal Cases Dale S. McKnight, 50, Greencastle, three counts of Class 6 felony auto theft, Class 6 felony possession of methamphetamine Larry R. Fox, 45, Greencastle, Class 6 felony criminal recklessness...

BAINBRIDGE -- After an unexpected departure from his role as superintendent in December, Dan Noel returned to his position Thursday night while in attendance of his first board meeting since stepping down for medical reasons. "I'd like to thank you all for your kindness," Noel said at the opening of the meeting...

The new director of Indiana's Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) is ready to go to bat for the rural communities that make up the Hoosier landscape, he said Friday in Greencastle. In fact, William Konyha, who assumed his new role with OCRA Jan. 5 after a November appointment, has already stepped up to the plate by pitching some new initiatives for making rural Indiana communities stronger...

Cloverdale Elementary students recently participated in their version of the Super Bowl.