Stories from Tuesday, April 14, 2015

CRAWFORDSVILLE -- The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has announced that a U.S. 231 rumble strips project will begin this week. U.S. 231 will have edge and center line rumble strips installed from State Road 236 north to the start of the four-lane section of roadway south of Crawfordsville...

The musical duo MKTO, whose song, "Classic," was nominated as "Catchiest New Song" in the 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards, will come to DePauw University to perform a Friday, April 17 concert. The show will begin at 8 p.m. in Neal Fieldhouse, located within DePauw's Lilly Physical Education and Recreation Center. The performance is presented free of admission charge and is open to all...

U.S. Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) has announced that a member of his staff will visit Greencastle on Tuesday, April 21 to meet with local residents and assist Hoosiers experiencing problems with any federal agency. The Coats staffer will host office hours at the Putnam County Public Library, 103 E. Poplar St., from noon to 1 p.m. April 21...

PUTNAMVILLE -- On Tuesday, 40 probationary troopers from the 74th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy class was issued their state police cars at the Indiana State Police Youth Education and Historical Center, which is adjacent to the Indiana State Police Indianapolis District...

James Edward "Big Dog" Phillips, 79, born March 23, 1936 in Raccoon Twp., Indiana, a Navy veteran, passed away on April 11, 2015 while under hospice care after a long battle with cancer. He retired from the Plainfield Correctional Facility where he served as a corrections officer, lieutenant and sergeant...

Taking on the persona of a cat pretending to be a chihuahua, Bill Merkel reads "Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse" to Andrea Minor's kindergarten class Tuesday at Central Elementary. Merkel is a "MENtor" involved in the Real Men Read program through the United Way of Putnam County...

Richard Dorn Owen, 87, Coatesville, born March 21, 1928, passed away peacefully at home Monday, April 13, 2015 He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Betty J. (Arnold) Owen; children Edd (Becky) Owen, Richard (Sandy) Owen and Melanie (Steve) Champion; grandchildren Suzy (Reecy) Dancer, Cheri (Chip) Ridge, Genny Owen, Tracey (Josh) Hesselgrave, Jeremy (Nicole) Owen, Michael (Ramona) Jarvis, Jacob (Stacey) Champion, Joshua Champion, Lauren Champion and Miranda Champion; 13 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.. ...

With the original deadline on an agreed order to finish the City of Greencastle water plant project in an extremely ambitious 18-month timetable about to expire, it is being extended six months, the Greencastle Board of Public Works and Safety learned Monday afternoon...

CLOVERDALE-- Cloverdale baseball hosted the Monrovia Bulldogs Monday night. The Clovers had their ups and downs, but they ultimately fell, 6-0.

Richard "Richie" Keith Parker, 45, of Roachdale, passed away at his home on April 13, 2015. He was born on Feb. 26, 1970 to Kathy (Parker) Cromwell. Richie married Amanda "Mandy" (Sanders-Long) Parker on Nov. 14, 2009. He was a loving husband and wonderful father to his two beautiful children, Kayleigh Nicole Parker-Cloncs and Kaden Riley Parker-Cloncs...