Stories from Monday, August 30, 2021

The Taste of Putnam County is back this Friday on the Putnam County Courthouse Square. Thanks to the partnership between Main Street Greencastle and the Putnam County Chamber, the event will take place during the festivities of the September First Friday from 5-9 p.m...

ROACHDALE — Due to concerns with the school corporation’s COVID positivity rates, masking and closure guidelines have been put in place at North Putnam Schools. In the latest development since the guidelines were adopted, all schools in the district will be closed through Tuesday, Sept. 7 because of the rate of positive cases and quarantining...

Television crime shows are making it awfully tough for guys like Greencastle City Police Det. Michael Collins. With shows like “CSI” and “Law and Order,” the public is spoiled by an oh-so-swift dose of TV justice. You can probably blame “Perry Mason,” who beginning in the 1950s followed commission of a crime to apprehension of the suspect to his day in court when the noted attorney would always pull some courtroom rabbit out of his hat with just moments to spare...

Ten years ago this week 85-year-old Essie McVey was shot to death in her condominium home on Greencastle’s northeast side. Nobody saw anything. Nobody heard anything. Nobody knows what really happened on Aug 30, 2011 to a woman living alone in a quiet neighborhood with no apparent enemies...

Due to a recent uptick in confirmed COVID cases, North Putnam has closed all of its schools through Labor Day and, as a result has canceled all athletic events and practices through next Monday. The following events are impacted by the school closure:...

A Greencastle man has agreed to enter a guilty plea to the most serious charge related to the 2020 shooting of a Greencastle woman. Russell Harvey II, 24, Greencastle, has agreed to plead guilty to Level 3 felony aggravated battery posing a substantial risk of death in the June 19, 2020 shooting of Hailey Whitis, 18, Greencastle...

DANVILLE — God was in the back seat with Lukas Couch-Henderson. That is what his grandmother Tammy Stanley said about how the 10-month-old has recuperated after a tragic incident which occurred near Coatesville on May 13. Off duty at the time, Greencastle Police Capt. Charles “Skip” Inman was on State Road 75 heading to Danville for a doctor’s appointment when he saw a dump truck off the side of the roadway. He then saw a Toyota Corolla which had heavy front-end damage and was on fire...

BRAZIL – It was a record-setting day for Northview in the WIC Girls’ Golf Match Saturday at Forest Park but South Putnam came out of the conference match smiling, too. The Eagles finished third behind the Knights and Brown County, edging out Edgewood for a podium finish. Greencastle finished seventh while North Putnam and Cloverdale did not have enough members to qualify for a team score...

As he and the band treat the crowd to an opening salvo of John Mellencamp songs, Louisville Crashers frontman Mark Maxwell jumps on a riser to get a better view of the audience at the annual Greencastle Music Fest downtown Saturday night...

Mardenna J. Boler, 84, of Cloverdale, went to be with the Lord Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. She was born June 26, 1937 in Marion County to the late Leon and Ione Haltom (Smythe). She worked for many years at Mallory’s in Greencastle until her retirement...

Brenda Sue Thompson, 61, of Coatesville, passed away on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. She was born in Greencastle on March 13, 1960 and was the daughter of Claude and Shirley (Coffey) Thompson. Brenda leaves behind a daughter, Jannifer (David) Hodge; a son, Carlos (Cara) Bumgardner; grandchildren Jaxon Hodge, Kaley Hodge, Carson Bumgardner and Carlee Bumgardner; her parents, Claude and Shirley Thompson; siblings Debbie (Mark) Cooksey, Danny (Debbie) Thompson, Stephen Thompson, Bobby (Tara) Thompson and Matt (Nicki) Thompson; and several nieces and nephews.. ...

Larry Wayne Dobson, 79, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021 at his home surrounded by family. He was born on Aug. 25, 1942 in Greencastle to the late John and Lois (Neese) Dobson. Larry attended Reelsville High School and graduated in the class of 1962. The following year he married Mary Lanham on Oct. 5, 1963. Together they raised three children...

Linda R. Smith, 74, of Brookston, passed away Monday, Aug. 30, 2021 at Franciscan Health in Lafayette after a brief illness. She was born on May 16, 1947 in Greencastle to the late Nelson York and Wilma (Malayer) Zimmerman. On July 16, 1967 in Greencastle she married Richard Smith, and he survives...

A Greencastle man is in jail after allegedly attempting to set fire to another man’s pickup truck. James V. Wright, 50, was actually arrested twice over the weekend, first by Greencastle Police for disorderly conduct on Friday night, then again on Saturday night for attempted arson and criminal mischief...

MONROVIA -- A 50-year-old Cloverdale man was struck by a car Sunday while crossing Interstate 70 following a three-vehicle collision. At approximately 9 p.m. Sunday, troopers from the Indiana State Police Putnamville, Bloomington and Indianapolis Districts along with deputies from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department responded to a multiple-vehicle crash at the 56-mile marker of I-70 in southwestern Morgan County that included a pedestrian being struck and seriously injured...

James A. Swinney, 69, of Greencastle, passed away on Aug. 25, 2021 at Hendricks Regional Health, with his daughters by his side. Jim was born on Dec. 18, 1951 in Indianapolis to the late Dorothy L. (Farmer) and James R. Swinney. Jim worked in the family business as a repairman for Swinney Zenith TV, before working in maintenance for Indianapolis Water Co. for more than 25 years, retiring in 2017. Family was important to Jim. He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandkids...

William Robert (Bob) Speedy passed away at home in Bainbridge, surrounded by family on Aug. 24, 2021 at the age of 89. He was born to William Carl Speedy and Mary (Edwards) Speedy on April 7, 1932. Both preceded him in death. He was also preceded by siblings Carolyn Cummings, Ronald Speedy, grandson JT Speedy and great-grandson Kace Schroer...

The following cases were filed in Putnam County courts recently. Graden R. Hood, 23, Greencastle, no valid driver’s license Ernest L. Boger, 22, Gosport, speeding Ray N. Akers vs. Kathy Cassady Capital One Bank vs. Kenneth G. Reed Capital One Bank vs. Gordon W. McCalister...

MANSFIELD -- The historic Mansfield Roller Mill will be open for tours during Mansfield’s Annual Cornbread Festival Sept. 11 and 12. Tours will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The mill still operates much like it did during the 1880s and shows visitors how flour and cornmeal were processed from wheat and corn...

Eight people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently. Sunday • At 1:45 a.m. Alex W. Beach, 26, Fillmore, was taken into custody for battery. Saturday • At 12:56 p.m. Michael W. Kennedy, 38, Indianapolis, was booked in on a Marion County warrant...

CLOVERDALE — The Friends of Lieber State Recreation Area invites the public to join them on Saturday, Sept. 4 to enjoy, food, fun and fireworks at their Boomin’ Beach Bash. Lieber SRA is located at 1317 W. Lieber Rd., Cloverdale. The Friends of Lieber SRA will have concessions starting at 6 p.m...

Mary Allison Children’s Trust board members Joe Ferguson and Lucy Wieland present a check to Greencastle Middle School Principal Scott Weltz (center) for $1,146.04 to purchase items for the school’s calming sensory room recently...

While the opportunity to learn while doing in 4-H project work is of foremost importance, the recognition of achievement through exhibition is certainly an added bonus to being in the 4-H program. The Indiana State Fair and the Purdue Extension state staff has listed unofficial results for most projects. ...

Eldon Duane Lewis, 84, of Greencastle, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021. Born June 8, 1937 in Greencastle, he was the son of Eldon Henry and Mary Thelma (James) Lewis. Eldon was a disabled American veteran, having served in the United States Navy on the New Jersey Battleship and Macon Cruiser...