Stories from Thursday, December 29, 2022

COLUMBUS — A Greencastle man is reported to have killed his pregnant wife before taking his own life earlier this month at her Bartholomew County home. Both 41-year-old Charles Schmidtke and his estranged wife, 36-year-old Julie Neumann Schmidtke, were found dead inside her Columbus home on Dec. 19, according to multiple reports in other media outlets...

LAFAYETTE — Nearly 50 miles, 6 police departments, 3 counties and 1 stolen Chevy with and 0 tires remaining. An Indianapolis woman led police on a chase that stretched 48 miles from Greencastle to a few miles south of Lafayette early Thursday morning...

On the evening of Nov. 16, the 100+ Men of Putnam County gathered for its final quarterly meeting of 2022. This meeting was a celebration of eight years of giving back to Putnam County. A big part of the evening’s celebration was the recognition that 100+ Men of Putnam County has awarded more than $500,000 to 24 unique Putnam County nonprofits in its eight-year history...

The first hike for the Putnam Parks & Pathways group will be Jan. 1 at Lieber State Recreation Area. The hike is sponsored by the staff at Lieber SRA. Hikers should meet at the Hilltop shelter in the park at 10 a.m. for the annual First Day Hike. Length of hike is approximately one mile and hiking boots are recommended...

With a tombstone as its logo, you’re dead right the Putnam County Remove Invasive Plants (PC RIP) means business. And because of its determination to wrangle invasive weeds, the PC RIP has earned the 2022 Weed Wrangler Award from the Indiana Invasives Initiative. The local group’s members were on hand for the December Greencastle City Council meeting to share the honor with city officials...

MONROVIA – North Putnam’s final three games of the 2022 calendar came at Monrovia Tuesday and Wednesday as the Cougars took part in the Monrovia Holiday Classic. The team went 1-2 over the course of the two-day event, falling to A No. 14 Greenwood Christian 55-49 and lost in the fifth-place game to Purdue Poly Englewood 69-50, defeating Rising Sun 68-51 in the consolation bracket...

Jeffrey “Jeff” Gene Elliott, 66, of Bainbridge, passed away peacefully at his home Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. He was born on Nov. 29, 1956, in Greencastle to the late David and Madonna (Proctor) Elliott. On Dec. 8, 1973, he married Sherry L. (Duncan) Elliott. She survives...

James William DeLaBar Jr., 90, of Fillmore, passed away on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. Jim was born on March 19, 1932 to James W. (Bill) and Marjorie Delabar in Oquawka, Ill. After graduating from Oquawka High School, Jim worked on the family farm and as a heavy equipment operator. ...

Greencastle Rotary Club President Scott Monnett presents a $500 check to Mary Allison Children’s Trust Vice President Lucy Wieland denoting the club’s ongoing support at a recent meeting. Rotary is continuing as a Trust Patron...

To the Editor: I am disappointed with the recent 5-2 vote by the Putnam County Council approving the tax abatement for the Cold Spring solar farm. This is a major step for the proposed solar panels to be placed on farmland in Russell Township in Putnam County. Despite several landowners and residents from Russell Township being against this movement, the Council approved the tax abatement...

The following cases were filed in Putnam County courts recently. Jeremiah Eades, 37, Putnamville Correctional Facility, Level 4 felony prisoner possession a deadly weapon, Level 5 felony battery resulting in bodily injury Jerry L. Henning, 35, Putnamville Correctional Facility, Level 5 felony conspiracy traffic a controlled substance with an inmate...

RUSSELLVILLE — Closing out business for 2022 with a short meeting Wednesday evening, the Russellville Town Council adopted salaries and wages which, except for one increase, will remain unchanged. The salaries and wages as set out in Ordinance 2022-8 are as follows:...