Stories from Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Tuesday was a big day for the Baird family. While Greencastle Republican Jim Baird was winning a seven-man Republican primary for District 4 U.S. Congress Tuesday, his son Beau was posting a lopsided triumph in the GOP primary in an effort to succeed his father as District 44 state representative...

Republican voters chose to stay the course in Tuesday’s primary election, as Sheriff Scott Stockton was among three Putnam County GOP incumbents to win his party’s nomination. Stockton topped challenger Jerrod Baugh 2,880-2,112 in the race that saw the most votes cast in the county at 4,992. Fellow Republican incumbents Rick Woodall and Tracy Bridges won their races by even wider margins than Stockton’s 15 percent margin...

Putnam County Tox-Away Day will be conducted Saturday, May 19 at Area 30 Career Center (off Calbert Way, across from Greencastle Walmart). The annual Tox-Away Day effort is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (rain or shine). Residents are asked not to arrive prior to 7:45 a.m. as it interferes with event set-up and creates traffic congestion. The event is organized to get people in and out as quickly and safely as possible, but lines should be anticipated...

Northview wrapped up the West Division softball title in the Western Indiana Conference on Tuesday with a convincing 18-6 win at South Putnam. The Knights finished league play 5-0, and will travel to Brown County on Tuesday to meet the Braves for the conference championship...

Hayden Rudes is a senior at North Putnam and participates in football and baseball. ——— Banner Graphic: How old were you when you started playing sports, and what have you learned from them? Hayden Rudes: “I think the first time I had a ball in my hand was when I was two. ...

The telecast of the 124th Monon Bell Classic, which was produced by Fox Sports Indiana and distributed across the United States, has been nominated for an Emmy® Award. The Lower Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) has nominated the Monon Bell telecast in the “Sports Game/Event - Live/Unedited” category...

The mission of the Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation District is to promote the conservation of Putnam County soil, water and natural resources. The district achieves this mission by promoting conservation practices, educating individuals about practices and working hand in hand with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) in implementing conservation practices...

BRAZIL – Sheriffs from across the state are launching a $500,000 “Kick in for Kids” fundraising campaign to benefit their not-for-profit Indiana Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch being developed in west-central Indiana for future law enforcement officers and at-risk kids...

The Area 30 Career Center Super Mileage Club has topped its previous record by posting a fuel efficiency of 305 miles per gallon. That is a 62 percent improvement. On April 9 and 10, the Super Mileage Club traveled to Lucas Oil Raceway at Brownsburg to compete against 19 other teams that included more than 240 Indiana High School students...

While not without a bit of confusion, the first Putnam County election to feature vote centers seemed to come off without a hitch in Tuesday’s primary. Having led the charge to move to vote centers, Putnam County Clerk Heather Gilbert was pleased in the aftermath...

(Putnam County only) U.S. Senator Republican Mike Braun - 39% Todd Rokita - 38% Luke Messer - 23% U.S. Congress Fourth District Republican Jim Baird - 72% Steve Braun - 13% Diego Morales - 6% Jared Thomas - 3% Kevin Grant - 2% James Nease - 2% Tim Radice - 1%...

CLOVERDALE — After two terms on the Cloverdale Town Council, current council president Coweta Patton will be out at year’s end. Garnering 45 percent of the vote in a three-way race, Gregory Jay Sr. topped Patton 111-83 for the GOP nomination for the town’s at-large seat on Tuesday. Jake Day was third with 52 votes...

On a night in which county incumbents held serve in Putnam County, township leaders weren’t so lucky. All three sitting township trustees who faced challenges from within their own party lost in Tuesday’s primary election. In Jefferson Township, upstart Jerett Query scored a 14-vote victory over incumbent Debra Robinson, 119-105...

Frederick Lee Buttery Sr., 65, Greencastle, passed away on Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 11:23 p.m. at his residence. He went peacefully with his family at his side. He was born Jan. 19, 1953 in Crawfordsville to Woodson and Daisy Buttery of Wallace. He later lived in New Maysville...

AVON -- At the request of the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC), the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is assisting with the removal of more than 700 birds from two properties alleged to be associated with cockfighting in Avon and Waveland...

Heinz H. Minartz, 81, of Brazil, Ind., passed away on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at the Cloverleaf Health Care Center in Knightsville. Heinz was born in Germany on Nov. 6, 1939. He was a self-employed handyman and worked in the coal mines in Germany before coming to the United States...

Theodore Ray "Ted" Britton grew up in Roachdale, the oldest of five children. He attended as a youth church camp at Hanging Rock Christian Assembly and attended Parkersburg Christian Church, where he was baptized. He graduated from Roachdale High School and was involved in band, sports and 4-H. He graduated Purdue University with B.S. in science and later earned a master's degree in economics...

Richard "Whitey" L. Hood, 84, of Greencastle, passed away on May 7, 2018 at Franciscan Health Lafayette East Hospital. He was born in Bainbridge on Jan. 4, 1934 to the late William Robert and Gladys Marie (Stewart) Hood. Richard graduated from Greene Township High School in Parke County and married Mary Lou (Philpot) Hood, who preceded him in death in 2000...