Stories from Thursday, April 4, 2024

Already dealing with a litany of funding questions, senior Putnam County officials can soon add another to their list. Grappling for months or even years with issues such as building a new courthouse annex, fixing dozens of aging bridges and compensating underpaid employees, the Putnam County Council will soon hear from Sheriff Jerrod Baugh on finding solutions to overcrowding at the Putnam County Jail...

One last call for alcohol resulted in approval of beer and wine sales by the Greencastle Park Board Wednesday night. The potential for selling alcohol at Robe-Ann Park during Parkfest music events passed its first hurdle as by a 3-1 vote, the Park Board passed a motion to allow alcohol to be sold by local vendors during Parkfest events not billed as family night activities (generally the first and last concerts of the year)...

While McKim Observatory will not be open for viewing the totaly solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, the DePauw University-owned facility will welcome visitors on Sunday April, 7 between 3 and 7 p.m. This open house takes place during daylight hours, so viewing through the telescope won’t be possible. However, visitors will be able to explore the historic building and marvel at the antique but fully operational astronomical instruments it houses...

When I heard the learn’d astronomer ... Thus begins one of my favorite poems, in this case by the great Walt Whitman. In eight relatively short lines, Whitman spends the first half overwhelming the reader with the tale of a “learn’d astronomer” who lectures with “the proofs, the figures” and “charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them” all to “much applause in the lecture room.” But Whitman, transcendentalist that he was, soon had enough, choosing instead to actually experience the stars..

You know, it’s not really in my nature to be that get-off-my-lawn guy. But things wear me out sometimes. Like those incessant Medicare Advantage sign-up period commercials with that nagging old woman or the public service announcements about the Camp Lejuene water issue or Hoosiers insisting we need to be in the Central Time Zone (we don’t, trust me, I’ve lived in Chicago where it’s dark at 4 p.m. in December)...

The lingering affects of the weather system that moved through the area to start the week have led to the following events being postponed Thursday, April 4: Track South Putnam at Northivew 4-Way Boys' Golf South Putnam at Owen Valley

The boil order advisory issued Tuesday for Big Walnut Water customers has been canceled. Since then, the main has been repaired and placed back in service. Bacteriological samples have been collected from representative sites of the affected area and tested. The test results were satisfactory...

Cloverdale was the only Putnam County school affected by the IHSAA’s announcement of the classifications for the next two school years. The Clovers comfortably fell below the threshold to be a Class A school in volleyball, girls’ and boys’ basketball for the 2024-25 and 25-26 school years, joining softball, which is already playing in Class A. ...

Gary Leon Thompson, 83, of Greencastle, passed away on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. He was born March 11, 1941 in Terre Haute, the son of Esten Cleveland and Nettie Pauline (Lacy) Thompson. He was a graduate of Gerstmeyer High School in Terre Haute. Gary retired from IBM in 1987. He also owned and operated G&M Small Engine Repair for several years...

BELLMORE — The Bellmore Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner this Saturday, April 6 from 4-8 p.m. The menu will include spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, salad, drinks and desserts by the local Amish community. Carry-out dinners will also be available...

Jack and Margaret Dobson of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., formerly of Cloverdale, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday, April 4. They were married April 4, 1964 in San Gabriel, Calif. The Dobsons have a daughter, Debroah (Todd) Miller of Pittsboro, daughter Jennifer Dobson of Laguna Niguel, Calif., and a son, Michael, who passed away in 2004. They also have five granddaughters and seven great-granddaughters who reside in Indiana and Florida...