Banner Graphic, Volume 19, Number 284, Greencastle, Putnam County, 8 August 1989 — Page 1

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Darrell Durham, new principal at the North Putnam Jr.-Sr. High School, IsnT wasting any time preparing for the 1989-90 school year. Discussing preopening day matters with staff member Linda McGaughey, Durham says he looks forward to the new professional chai-

In principle, Durham wants to be a caring NP administrator

By BECKYIGO Banner-Graphic News Editor New North Putnam Jr.-Sr. High Principal Darrell Durham hopes what people remember most about him is that he cares. After talking with only him briefly, that attribute comes across immediately. DURHAM, WHO BEGAN his teaching career at Fillmore High School, is counting down the days with students, teachers and other administrators alike until another school year begins. He looks upon his new North Putnam duties as professionally challenging, but principal and educator are roles Durham is quite familiar with. For the past 11 years, Durham has been in Eaton, Ohio, where he first served as assistant principal of Eaton High School. He became principal when the former high school administrator

Staying calm, cool, collected Tbnight clear and cool. Low in the lower 50s. Near calm wind. Wednesday mostly sunny and warmer. High in the upper 70s to near 80. Indiana Extended Forecast Partly cloudy Thursday through Saturday. Lows from 60 to 65. Highs from 80 to 85. Index Abby A 4 Calendar A 4 Classifieds AB*A9 Comics AS Crossword A 9 Heloise A 4 Horoscope A 9 Obituaries AlO People AS Sports A6,A7,A8 Theaters AlO

lenges which await him. The administrator comes to North Putnam from Eaton, Ohio, where he first served as assistant principal at Eaton High School and later as principal. (Banner-Graphic photo by Becky Igo).

retired. ALTHOUGH IT was difficult to leave Eaton, Durham admits, he is glad to be back home in Indiana. "This is my home state,” he pointed out. “Even though I was in Ohio, I always kept an eye on what was happening in Indiana.” Durhan heard about the North Putnam position via the Ball State University newsletter and hand-delivered his resume to SupL Tom Rohr. But Durham was also checking on other vacancies at other school corporations, simply because he was ready to make a move. THE NEW NORTH Putnam principal didn’t come to northern Putnam County, however, lacking knowledge about the area. Durham first took a good look at the school corporation and was impressed. CoL 1, back page, this section

Covered Bridge Festival

Annual Parke County frolic slated on Oct. 13-22

Special to the Banner-Graphic The 33rd Annual Parke County Covered Bridge Festival will be held Oct. 13 through Oct. 22. A full 10 days of countywide activities are scheduled. Parke County, known as the Covered Bridge Capital, features 33 of these bridges more than any other county in the United States. The headquarters is located on the Courthouse lawn in Rockville at the intersection of U.S. 36 and U.S. 41. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. HUGE TENTS ON the courthouse lawn features more than 80 booths of arts, crafts, foods, demonstrations and a Farmer’s Market, all made by Parke County residents. Food shacks line the outer edge of the lawn, serving old fashion foods such as: ham, beans & combread, chicken & noodles, com-on-the-cob, home made ice-

Commissioners asked to solve parking dilemma

By BECKY IGO Banner-Graphic News Editor Downtown parking a problem? It is for Putnam County Clerk Nancy Michael, who urged the county commissioners Monday night to work with city officials toward finding a solution. MICHAEL SAID SHE was “livid” earlier Monday, when she discovered not one, not two, but three parking tickets on her car which was sitting in the city-owned lot adjacent to the Banner-Graphic. “It was my fault," she proceeded to tell Commissioners John Carson, Gene Beck and Don Walton. “I just forgot to feed the meter.” The main reason for her forgetfulness, Michael added, was that she and other courthouse officials were involved in cleaning out the courthouse basement of outdated records. THE CLERK SAID she has no problem with paying for the tickets, since she is responsible for the infractions. However, she emphasized the county needs to work out some solution so courthouse employees have a place to park. Michael did say she contacted Mayor Mike Harmless, telling him she would pay for the tickets, but questioned if something could be done about the parking problem. It was Harmless who appeared before the commissioners last September, recommending the parking lot just east of- the Moose Lodge in Greencastle be used as a joint citycounty lot for employees. PROPOSED AS the “Market Street Parking Lot,” the Moose Lodge, at that time, offered to work with city and county officials and allow employees to park during a time

Management firms outline proposals

By LISA MEYER Banner-Graphic Staff Writer The South Putnanj School Board has heard from architects, finance managers and construction managers on a project for South Putnam High School. With a $4.5 million renovation and expansion of the high school waiting in the wings, the board has been interviewing several companies before deciding who should handle the project for the board. IN A SPECIAL meeting Monday night, the board heard from three more companies interesting in undertaking the project. Leo Marshall of Indiana School Finance told the board that time saved will be an advantage of hiring a private finance company such as ISF. Financing a building project

cream, crullers and much more. Guided Covered Bridge Bus Tours highlight the scenic autumn beauty and will stop at the quaint rural community on the tour route. The 225 varieties of trees growing in the county gives way to many shades of vibrant colors which peak in a rainbow of color at this time of year. GROUP TOURS OF 40-44 people may be prescheduled not only for the festival but anytime of the year. The Yellow tour route features the longest double span Covered Bridge, 315 feet and the longest single span, 207 feet The stop in Tangier is famous for its buried beef which has been cooked underground about 18 hours. Unique art and craft booths of the community residents are popular. The Red route has two community stops, Bridgeton, the old Mill town. Covered Bridge and waterfall, foods and shops of art, crafts and antiques. The second

period from approximately 8 a.m. to five or 6 p.m. Sixty parking spaces, with two reserved as handicapped spots, were to be provided. The estimated cost of the project would be approximately SBO,OOO, Harmless told the commissioners. It was noted last September that the Moose Lodge would still own the lot, but the city would become responsible for its maintenance, management and enforcement. The mayor also suggested improvements be made to the lot, including paving, landscaping and adding sidewalks where necessary. WHEN HARMLESS finished discussing the proposal last September, the commissioners agreed to look into the matter further. However, no action has been taken since that time. Commissioner Beck gave an indication Monday night that was due to the cost of the project. “It was a good plan, but the expense of it was too much, I thought,” Beck told Michael. “The plans included blacktopping, curbs and trees,and I didn't think we needed all of that” “I AGREE WITH him,” Walton added. But Michael continue to emphasized the downtown parking problem will not go away, unless it is addressed. Carson requested Michael poll other Putnam County courthouse workers to see what the consensus is about parking, and what possible solutions they may have to offer. The clerk agreed to conduct such a poll. IN OTHER ACTION, the commissioners: —Heard county Clerk Michael CoL 2, back page, this section

publicly takes more time procedurally than private financing, Marshall said. He estimated a four and one-half month time saving through the private process. AS FAR AS the bond interest rates in the marketplace are concerned, Marshall said there would be no difference between what public and private companies could offer. The school board could also find some advantage through refinancing the current outstanding bond debts on both the high school and Central Elementary School. No savings would be seen in refinancing the high school, since only about SBOO,OOO remains to be repaid on its loan. However, the board would have to refinance the high school since they cannot build on the property without owning it. Essentially, a private school

stop, Rosedale hosts a number of booths and a farmers’ market all in the Civic Center. THE BROWN ROUTE has two-three stops, Montezuma, on the banks of the Wabash is well known for its pig roast and many arts, crafts and food booths. The second stop is at Mecca highlighting the historic little red school house and a tent filled with homemade arts, crafts and foods. A special annual homecoming is on the first Saturday. The Blue route is a shorter scenic route featuring the Turkey Run State Park area and a stop in the old historic town of Bloomingdale. Here apple butter is being cooked in a big iron kettle over a wood fire, good food and a tent of select art and crafts. The Black route is another short route with no community stop but is a delightful tour and provides a scenic view of the tree lined shore of Raccoon Lake as it crosses the Lake Dam.

Local jail escapee turns himself in to Terre Haute police

By JOE THOMAS Banner-Graphic Assistant Editor A Putnam County Jail inmate, who ran from captivity five days ago, turned himself in to the Indiana State Police at Terre Haute at about 5:30 p.m. Monday. No one knows where Timothy Craig Wilcox, 28, has been since he ran out of the jail late last Thursday morning, earning five days of freedom. A SPOKESMAN for the Terre Haute ISP post said that Wilcox simply walked in their office and turned himself him. They assigned a trooper to drive him to the Clay-Putnam county line, were he was turned over to Putnamville ISP Ttooper Noble New, who (hove Wilcox back to the Putnam County Jail. No one at the Terre Haute post, the Putnamville post, or at the Putnam County Sheriff's Dept, has spoken with Wilcox about why he voluntarily turned himself in, where he spent the last five days, or if he had any help in the break out Wilcox was one of a group of four PCJ inmates who were being brought back from court appearances late Thursday morning by Deputy Tom Helmer. Jailer Steve Fenwick and Helmer were taking the restraints off of the inmates, while they stood inside the jail at the office door. AFTER WILCOX had been unrestrained, he reportedly announced he was going to get a drink of water. Instead of stopping at the water fountain, he bolted out the back door of the

building corporation owns the high school and the school board is leasing the building. To remodel the building, the board would either have to renegotiate its lease, or pay off its loan. THROUGH A FORM of refinancing called advanced refunding, the current bond holder could be paid off and the loan financed through another private corporation. The board could then undertake a remodeling project. The real savings for the school corporation would come with the advanced refunding of Central Elementary. The interest rate that is now at 11.25 percent could be reduced to about 7.2 percent if financed on today’s market, Marshall told the board, figuring the savings at about 4 cents on the tax rate. “The timing CoL 1, back page, this section

THE MELODRAMA at the Ritz Theatre is presented by Parke Players and is always popular and a highlight of evening entertainment. This year’s presentations of “Deadwood Dick” promises to be one of the best; also a Country Western music is planned for Monday and Friday evening. The Quilt Show, Historical Museum and the Art Gallery are located nearby the Rockville Festival Headquarters. The Antique show is in the Armory with a prominent display of treasures of yesteryear. The Rotary Club pancake & sausage breakfast is held at the 4-H Community building on Sunday mornings. THE HYMN SING on the courthouse lawn on Sunday mornings and the Parke County Band at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons are special favorites. Many art, craft and gift shops are located around the town square.

jail. He reportedly ran north down an alley that runs behind the jail between Washington and Franklin streets. When he reached the intersection of N. Jackson Street and W. Franklin, Wilcox allegedly turned south, heading toward Washington Street along the west side of the downtown square. Witnesses reported seeing Wilcox at a cemetery across from Blackstock Stadium, near the DePauw University campus on S. Indiana Street, on Hanna Street and on Berry Street The last sighting was just south of Sunset Blvd., where he reportedly headed into some woods on property owned by Lone Star, Inc. POLICE WERE unable to find Wilcox despite the use of eight ISP units, an ISP airplane and helicopter, a search dog provided by the Indiana State Farm, and units from the PCSD and Greencastle Police Dept Wilcox has an extensive criminal history in Putnam County and court records list four addresses for him in the past two years. He has lived at 110 E. Poplar St., Greencastle; 143 Vi Alabama St., Lafayette; 206 Kent St. Terre Haute; and 5615 Beachmont, Apt 11, Cincinnati, Ohio. HIS CRIMINAL record includes a Sept. 2,1986 charge of battery, when he beat Stephanie C. Smith, bruising her ribs and nose. On Nov. 7, 1986 he was charged with criminal reckCoi. 4, back page, this section

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MICHELLE HOKE North Putnam grad

‘Up With People’ picks Hoke Michelle Hoke, 20, Bainbridge, has been accepted to participate in the Up With People program. Hoke is the daughter of Bill & Chyril Hoke. A student at Indiana State University, she is majoring in elementary education. KNOWN FOR ITS widely acclaimed musical show, Up With People is the international, educational, and cultural program which aims to build peace through understanding. Hoke was interviewed following their show in May, after becoming interested in UWP from hosting two of the group’s members. Only 600 new students are accepted annually from over 7,000 applicants. She plans to finish school and travel with UWP in 1991-92. MANY STUDENTS raise a portion of their program fee through local sponsorship and fund raising activities. People interested in supporting Hoke’s effort to participate in UWP are asked to contact her at 522-6268.