Stories from Monday, May 29, 2023

ROCKVILLE – Sport is a funny thing sometimes. After four innings of defenses and pitching on top, North Putnam scratched across the first run of the championship game of IHSAA Baseball Class 2A Sectional No. 44, added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh and looked set to add a second sectional title in a week’s time to its trophy case...

A South Putnam graduate who stayed close to home at DePauw University, Aiden LeBlanc will now be serving his country. In a May 20 ceremony at Rose-Hulman White Chapel, LeBlanc was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The commission came one day before LeBlanc graduated summa cum laude from DePauw with a degree in classical civilizations, having earned a full-ride Army ROTC scholarship...

The honor guard of Roachdale VFW Post 3284 makes the first of its nine Memorial Day stops by paying tribute to the men and women who died in service of their country with a service at Blakesburg Cemetery in Russell Township Monday morning...

Less than a week ahead of “Grease” kicking off the 2023 season at the Putnam County Playhouse, Greencastle First Friday will provide a sneak peak at the ’50s fun during the Friday, June 2 event. At 6:40 p.m., the cast will perform a number from the musical as a kickoff to the entertainment on the north courthouse stage...

The future is looking brighter for Greencastle neighborhoods these days. That’s partially because Duke Energy has begun converting more than 600 streetlights across the city of Greencastle to brighter, more-efficient LEDs (light-emitting diodes). ...

I thought I spent a lot of time thinking about time travel ... until I heard Alice Howard’s graduation speech on Friday. Alerted one day earlier that she was salutatorian of the class of 2023, the newly-minted Greencastle High School graduate found herself needing a speech, and fast. So she turned to a subject about which she, by her own admission, spends an inordinate amount of time thinking...

A combination of tradition and whimsy marks commencement weekend 2023 for the graduates of the four Putnam County high schools. South Putnam graduate Uriah Kortz receives his diploma from principal Tona Gardner...

As in many industries, it is vital for those of us working in philanthropy to maintain relationships with elected officials to protect our work and the value that it brings to communities like ours. The policy that those officials enact directly impacts the effectiveness of philanthropy as well as the capacity of the nonprofits we support and the well-being of the families and individuals they serve...

RUSSELLVILLE — Though a contract meant to outline upkeep of the Russellville Community Center was approved last month, town leaders were met with frustration about this matter Wednesday evening. With some of its members present, Darrell Wiatt, who heads the board responsible for events at the former high school, brought questions to the Russellville Town Council as to utilities and other needs. He opined that the town has not paid it forward...

Pianist Claude Cymerman, cellist Eric Edberg, mandolinist, vocalist and percussionist Ben Hogan, pianist, composer and accompanist Cathie Malach, and blues great Tad Robinson are the “friends making music for friends” kicking off the Greencastle Summer Music Festival’s 19th season Wednesday night in Gobin Church...

ROCKVILLE – After last Wednesday’s opening round of action resulted in only the Putnam County schools remaining in IHSAA Baseball Class 2A Sectional No. 44 play, a rerun of the Putnam County Baseball Tournament was in order Monday. The first game featured a rubber match between Greencastle and North Putnam, the latter winning in the Putnam County Baseball Tournament final while the former won in extra innings in WIC play...

ROCKVILLE – After watching the other two Putnam County teams face off in the morning, Cloverdale and South Putnam got the chance to finally open postseason play in the fourth game of the IHSAA Baseball Class 2A Sectional No. 44. The Clovers trailed 1-0 after the top of the first but scored three times in reply and never trailed the rest of the way, knocking out the Eagles 9-3 and advancing to Monday’s final...

Tickets are on sale for the Run for Recovery 5K on Sunday, June 11 that will feature IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan. The run will be held at Robe-Ann Park in Greencastle, with a free event to follow with food vendors, resource tables and door prizes. Revelers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets...

CLAYTON — Endeavor Communications will host the “Endeavor to Give” charity golf outing on Thursday, June 1 at Deer Creek Golf Club in Clayton. The event aims to raise funds for local food pantries and all proceeds will go directly toward these organizations...

PORTLAND MILLS — Featuring guest preacher Tony Smith, Portland Mills Christian Church will host a revival June 2-4 from 7-8 p.m. each evening. Besides preaching from Smith nightly, musical guests will lead worship. On Friday, music will come from Perpetual Journey, featuring Wyatt Clark, Libby Brush, Jerry Clark and Dan Brush. ...