Stories from Thursday, August 25, 2022

Is it impacting poverty? Is it good for our community? Is it sustainable? While there is a lot that Fred Payne has to consider in his new role as United Way of Central Indiana CEO, he told a group of community leaders Thursday morning that the work of the United Way really comes down to these three questions...

A 21-year-old Indianapolis man was arrested Tuesday night for armed robbery and two additional gun-related charges, Greencastle City Police reported. Jaxson Duke was lodged in the Putnam County Jail on charges of armed robbery, intimidation with a firearm, unlawful carrying of a handgun and resisting law enforcement following an incident that began about 10:30 p.m. on the city’s East Side...

In a job beset by months of delays, crews from White Construction begin removing Bridge 276 over CSX Railroad in Madison Township (above). The 114-year-old bridge must be removed piece by piece to ensure the tracks remain open 24/7.

With the caveat that property tax rates almost always come in lower than initially proposed, the Greencastle School Board voted to move forward with the 2023 budget process on Monday evening. Based upon the forecast presented by Supt. Jeff Gibboney, the board voted unanimously (though members Dale Pierce and Ed Wilson were absent) to move forward with advertising the 2023 budget...

With railroad crossing work ongoing in the Greencastle area, the following is an update on various crossings as of Thursday afternoon, as gathered by Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory...

BRAZIL – Everything about Wednesday’s boys’ tennis match between South Putnam and Northview was just a bit off for the Eagles. The match was moved to Northview due to a water main break at South Putnam while the already thin Eagle roster was even smaller due to an illness that day...

Claudia Ann Clark, 66, of Greencastle passed away Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022 at her home. Born April 21, 1956, Claudia was the daughter of Lois (York) and Marvin Clark. She attended Jones Elementary School and graduated from Greencastle High School in 1974, where she was active as a pianist, oboist, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist in all of the GHS music programs. She earned a degree from Indiana Business College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana State University...

Norma Jean Benge, 80, of Roachdale, passed away peacefully on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. She was born on Dec. 13, 1941 to the late Delois and Jewell Sanders. She grew up in Wheatcroft, Ky. She married Richard Benge on Jan. 13, 1978. He preceded her in death in August of 2013...

Layne Shaffer of Brazil (in helmet) celebrates winning the annual Kiwanis Jim Maxwell Memorial Bike Safety Course Raffle at National Night Out. Layne was able to pick out a new bike and helmet from Walmart thanks to the generosity of Jim’s widow, Loretta Maxwell...

Several people were booked in the Putnam County Jail recently. Wednesday • At 3:39 a.m. Kevin D. Hicks, 47, Bowling Green, was lodged at the jail for driving while intoxicated. Tuesday • At 4:18 p.m. Heather D. McIntosh, 37, Cloverdale, was booked in for driving without ever receiving a license...

Vaseline on your face, bean bag toss, tests of memory and teamwork between all ages at its best. All will be on display when the Putnam County Recovery Coalition hosts the third-annual Family & Friends Challenge event in partnership with Family Support Services of West Central Indiana, on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m...

Terry Clifford, the 2022 Indiana State Fair Board president, life-long farmer and friend of agriculture and a life-long resident of Belle Union, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022 at the age of 71 on his beloved farm. Terry is survived by his wife, Yvonne (Polter) Clifford; his mother, Norma (Smith) Clifford and mother-in-law Ruth Polter; his children, Adrianna Clifford and fiancé Logan Ross; Amanda Ferguson, Amber (David) Lightle, Karen Lee Clifford and Sharon (Doug) Clifford; his grandchildren; Zoe Ferguson, Arabella Lightle, Aileana Lightle, David T. ...

Lester Gene Brummett, 78, passed away at his home near Putnamville exit on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022. My dad was born in the Old Morgan County Hospital in Martinsville on July 3, 1944. Dad’s parents were Glenn and Martha Brummett of Lewisville and have passed...

BROWNSBURG -- At approximately 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Hendricks County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a fatal crash at the intersection of County Roads 500 East and 800 North. Initial investigation indicates that a 1930s model Ford passenger car was northbound on CR 500E when a southbound 1977 John Deere tractor began turning eastbound on CR 800N in front of the Ford. The tractor struck the Ford in the front driver’s side of the vehicle...

The Putnam County Commissioners will not meet in a special session on Monday, Aug. 29, as had previously been reported. The meeting has been canceled, with the matter instead to be discussed on Tuesday, Sept. 6, when the Commissioners have their next special session...

With it being noted that things across the board will be the same, increases in a few areas will temper the Putnam County Public Library’s proposed budget for 2023, even though it overall will be less than 2022’s. Library Director Matt McClelland drew attention to these areas at a public hearing on the budget during the Library Board’s regular meeting Wednesday evening...