Stories from Sunday, April 9, 2017

John Simmons, 76, passed away on Monday, April 3, 2017 peacefully at home in Sebring, Fla. He was born Dec. 12, 1940 in Shattuck, Okla., to the late Herbert and Susan (Cloyd) Simmons. Survivors include his wife, Roxann Simmons; children Michael J. (Mike) Simmons (Liz), Mindy A. ...

Mary Katherine Douglas, 76, of Reelsville, passed away on Friday, April 7, 2017 surrounded by her family. Born June 21, 1940 in Indianapolis, she was the daughter of Robert and Margaret (Buskirk) Yorger. She was a graduate of Decatur High School. Mary Katherine had worked at the Indianapolis Birthing Center for several years, and has served as a midwife since 1974...

The Humane Society of Putnam County (HSPC) is sponsoring a low-cost microchip clinic for dogs owned by Putnam County residents. The clinic will be Saturday, April 15 from 9 a.m.–noon in the parking lot of the Heritage Lake POA clubhouse. If raining, it will be in the basement of the building...

Winners of the bicycle prizes given away during the annual Easter egg hunt Saturday morning at Greencastle’s Robe-Ann Park include (from left) Nevaeh Nugent, nine-year-old daughter of Valerie and Dustin Tippin, Greencastle, winner in the 9-11 age group; Brody McCloud, Roachdale, seven-year-old son of Phil McCloud and Meghann King, winner in the 7-8 age group; and five-year-old twins Bianca and Conrad Marshall, children of Adam and Lydia Marshall, Greencastle, winners in the 5-6 age group. ...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which means the return of Guys with Ties and Girls with Pearls. For this unique campaign, Putnam County Family Support Services invites local leaders to wear a teal tie or a pearl necklace in April to promote awareness of sexual assault...

RUSSELLVILLE -- The Russellville Community Center will host Easter activities on Saturday afternoon. A bake sale is set for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 15, featuring homemade pies, cakes, cookies, noodles and more. The annual Easter egg hunt will begin promptly at 1 p.m. It will be sponsored by the Russellville Community Church...

On Saturday, April 15, Roachdale Elementary School will be hosting a free Community Carnival complete with an Egg Hunt just in time for Easter. Set to run from noon to 4 p.m. at the school, located at 305 N. Indiana St., Roachdale, the carnival will feature bounce houses, train rides, monster trucks, free music, free food and much more. The Easter Egg Hunt will involve more than 10,000 eggs filled with candy for the kids to hunt...

In a variation from its usual concert venue in Kresge Auditorium, the DePauw University Choirs, directed by Kristina Boerger, can be heard this week in the vocally gratifying acoustical space of Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church at 307 Simpson St...

Kindergarten round-up dates have been scheduled for students entering kindergarten in the Greencastle Community School Corporation (GCSC) for the 2017-18 school year. Ridpath Primary round-up is scheduled for Tuesday, April 18 from noon to 7 p.m. Deer Meadow Primary round-up is set for Thursday, April 20 from noon to 7 p.m....

Combining art, music and wine Saturday night at Music on the Square, the DePauw University School of Music spring Communiversity event, “French Impressionism and the Music of Claude Cymerman and Friends,” showcases the magic fingers of Cymerman and others on the piano, as well providing an opportunity for local residents to try their hands at reproducing an impressionistic masterpiece while guided by Wine and Canvas of Indianapolis...

At the Putnam County Community Foundation’s booth during the recent Mini-Farm Fest, children were asked to think about what they would do to make the world a better place. “Every year we hear new ideas,” PCCF Executive Director Elaine Peck said in revealing some of the answers...

A month after approving a change in city pool hours that would have ended nightly open swim at 6 p.m. this summer, the Greencastle Park Board called for a compromise on closing hours. A number of local residents had recently expressed concerns about the early closing to Mayor Bill Dory, Park Board members and City Council liaison Steve Fields or left comments on the Banner Graphic website. ...

Youngsters in the 9-11 age group (above) make short work Saturday morning of the plastic eggs hidden in their area of Greencastle’s Robe-Ann Park. Overall more than 7,000 eggs were gathered up in a matter of minutes as youngsters like Bella Monnett (below, left), 10-year-old daughter of Laura and Scott Monnett who recently moved back to town, pluck the eggs from the rock wall on the west side of the park. ...

Donald Lee Cloncs, of Roachdale passed away Thursday, April 6 at Hendricks Regional Health. Arrangements are pending at Servies & Morgan Funeral Home, Roachdale.

EMINENCE – Greencastle swept a pair of baseball games at Eminence on Saturday, winning the opener 14-0 and the nightcap 5-4. In the first game, Jackie Scanland led the way for the Tiger Cubs by going 2-for-4 at the plate with 4 RBI, and he also threw three innings of no-hit baseball with five strikeouts...

PUTNAMVILLE – Lincoln Park Speedway roared back to life on Saturday evening with the Midwest Sprint Car Series on hand to contest the “Indiana Open Wheel Racin’ Fest, which paid $4,000-to-win. Thomas Meseraull, or T-Mez as he’s come to be known, put on a dominating show for a packed house in Putnamville. The San Jose, Calif., hot shoe started seventh in the 30-lap A-main and eventually lapped all the way up to ninth place at the finish to claim the lion’s share of the purse on opening night...

North Putnam is the defending Putnam County champion in high school baseball, and finished as sectional runnerup last year – losing a 2-0 decision to Rockville in the championship game. The Cougars lost standout players Brayden White (DePauw) and Kyler Jeter (Trine) to the college ranks, but return several key performers as they look to defend their county title...

CLOVERDALE -- Kindergarten registration for 2017-18 in Cloverdale is scheduled for 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, April 18 at the Cloverdale Elementary School, 311 E. Logan St. Children who will turn five years old on or before Aug. 1, 2017 are eligible for enrollment for the 2017-18 school year...