Stories from Monday, October 26, 2020

When Indiana Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Woody Myers and running mate Linda Lawson embarked on a two-day caravan little more than a week until Election Day this past weekend, Myers took one half of the state, while Lawson took the other. While the issues discussed were no doubt very similar, the candidates delivering the speeches could not have been more different...

With 81 new positive cases in the last week, Putnam County has had 776 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March. More informative and alarming for local health officials, the rolling positivity rate has been on the rise in recent weeks, with the Indiana State Department of Health reporting a 10.3 percent positivity rate for individuals for the week of Oct. 13-19...

Disposing of about everything from soup to nuts, Greencastle residents took full advantage of Clean City Day Saturday. Working with Jack’s Trash, Greencastle officials filled 12 large dumpsters (from 20 to 40 yards) and eight small ones, including two full of tires, three full of TVs and three full of appliances, according to City Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar’s totals...

Cloverdale will not compete in Friday’s IHSAA Football Class A Sectional No. 45 game against Parke Heritage, citing a lack of numbers available for the game, which would have taken place this Friday. Clover athletic director James Wade said the limited amount of participants necessitated a decision be made in the best interest of the players...

Putnam County Treasurer Kathy Minnick is reminding all property owners that the fall installment for property taxes is due Tuesday, Nov. 10. The office will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 3 for the 2020 general election. Those needing a copy of their bill can request a duplicate by contacting the Putnam County Treasurer’s Office at 653-4510 or by e-mail at treasurer@putnamcountyin.us. Failure to receive a statement will not relieve property owners of paying taxes and/or penalties that may be due...

Greencastle native Evan A. Crawley, father of five, who devoted his life to his children and grandchildren, and to sharing his deep love and nostalgia for music and films from the Golden Age of the 1920s and ‘30s, passed away Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 at Memorial Hospital in Logansport, due to complications of coronavirus disease. He was 86...

Due to the installation of a culvert, County Road 900 South on the Warren-Cloverdale township line will be closed for the next month. The closure, which runs from State Road 243 to County Road 200 West, began on Monday and is expected to last through Nov. 30...

Gene William “Bill” O’Brien passed away on Oct. 24, 2020 after a courageous battle with cancer. Bill was born Nov. 11, 1949 in Binghamton, N.Y. He moved to Greencastle in 1961 when his family came with the IBM move from New York to Greencastle. He graduated from Greencastle High School in 1968...

Shawn Allan Burnell, 29, of Greencastle, passed away on Oct. 18, 2020, in Pontiac, Ill. Shawn was born in Pittsfield, Mass., on Oct. 21, 1990, the son of Timothy and Shelly (Perry) Burnell. He was a 2009 graduate of Greencastle High School. Mr. Burnell worked for Putnam County Correction for three years...

Are you fed up with your afternoon slump? Looking for a better way to feel energized other than that fourth caffeinated drink? Join us on Zoom for a free webinar to learn how to combat your energy levels before we enter into a busy holiday season. Are you wondering what causes your chronic tiredness? In less than an hour, we will identify some ways you can change your energy level. ...

Mary Allison Children’s Trust Board member Joe Ferguson (right) takes the next leg of the elementary school tour, presenting Principal Michael McHugh of Deer Meadow Primary School with its $1,000 check for the first semester. “COVID-19 has made many challenges for the schools in 2020 the board of directors are honored that we can give the schools a little extra help,” Ferguson said...

Students at South Putnam Middle/High School will be on e-learning this week with COVID-19 cases and a reduced staff leading to the building being closed. Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt made an announcement to parents Monday afternoon that grades 6-12 would go online beginning Tuesday and continue through this Friday. However, neither of South Putnam’s elementary schools will be closed in kind...

The Putnam County Non-Food Pantry, hosted by St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, will be distributing non-food items from noon. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 at the church, 520 E. Seminary St., Greencastle. This will be a drive-through distribution of products only. Because of safety concerns, lunch will not be served and only pre-packaged bags will be distributed...

A cowboy and a space ranger on the road to Fillmore? It’s just this year’s installment of the annual Halloween hay bale display, again brought to us free of charge by Bryce and Becki Arnold. This year, it’s Sheriff Woody Pride and his best pal Buzz Lightyear of “Toy Story” fame...

The Putnam County Community Foundation has announced the creation of the Adult Careers Scholarship. This scholarship opportunity was designed to reduce the financial barriers for adults seeking to further their careers by attaining an accredited certification, credentialing or apprenticeship program...

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has announced that all branches will extend hours of operation on Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3 to issue ID cards and driver’s licenses to be used for identification at a polling place. Branches will be open Monday, Nov. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. All locations will remain open through the lunch hour...

If you think you may have COVID-19 and are waiting for a COVID-19 test result, stay home and monitor your health to protect your friends, family and others from possibly getting COVID-19. Stay home and away from others. • Stay away from others while waiting for your COVID-19 test result, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, such as older adults and people with other medical conditions, if possible...

Five people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently. Saturday • At 9:55 p.m. Scott J. Smith, 54, Indianapolis, was housed at the jail on a pair of out-of-county warrants. • At 4:04 a.m. Brent D. Elwood, 28, Cloverdale, was booked in for criminal recklessness and disorderly conduct...

The Greencastle Virtual Music Festival launches its fall/winter 2020-21 season of “virtual music parties” this Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m., with a multi-genre online program featuring pianist Claude Cymerman, cellist Eric Edberg, poet Joe Heithaus, singer/songwriter Bobbie Lancaster and pianist/composer Cathie Malach...

The following cases were filed in Putnam County courts recently. Derick S. Pemberton, 24, Greencastle, Class B felony child molesting Depenbhai P. Patel, 37, Cloverdale, Level 6 felony residential entry, Level 6 felony sexual battery Joseph J. Wootan, 28, Bloomington, Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine, Level 6 felony driving while intoxicated endangering a person with a prior conviction, Class A misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, Class A misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license. ...

Unlike Marty McFly and Doc Brown in a souped-up DeLorean, Greencastle officials looked to the future on their own during a special joint meeting of the City Council and Redevelopment Commission. Using Mayor Bill Dory’s draft list of potential redevelopment projects within the TIF (tax increment financing) area or serving the TIF area, city officials focused on a couple of ideas that might yield those long-sought-after additional rooftops that add to the tax base and more than likely school corporation rolls.. ...

Doing their part to raise money on World Polio Day, Greencastle Rotarians Crystal Fortner (left) and Jacqui Ellis serve a customer during the club’s cinnamon roll and mimosa fundraiser Saturday morning at Almost Home Restaurant...

Greencastle, Ind. - Rory Mannering, defensive coordinator at Denison University, has been named DePauw University defensive coordinator and will coach linebackers. Mannering has served as an assistant coach (defensive backs) at Denison since 2015 and the Big Red posted a 38-13 record during that time including back-to-back North Coast Athletic Conference co-championships in 2018 and 2019 and the program's first NCAA postseason appearance (2018) since 1986. ...

Four Putnam County runners took to the course at Blue River Park as part of the field for the IHSAA Shelbyville XC Semi-State Saturday morning. Cloverdale sophomore Ella Szczerbik and Greencastle freshman Charlie Menzel finished 96th in their respective races while North Putnam senior Grace Elmore concluded her cross country career with a 104th-place finish in the girls’ race and Clover junior Brady Koosman finished 166th in the boys’ race...