Jan 9, 2001, Bennie DiRuzza, 72, Orestes, died today at his residence after an extended illness.

Jan 10, 2001, Wayne "Tiny" Delinger, 77, Orestes, died January 10, 2001, at the willows in Alexandria after a brief illness.

June 30, 2001, Loyal patrons of Orestes Postmaster Robert C Williams have followed his service to the Orestes Post Office and revenue has more than tripled since his appointment of postmaster December 1996.

Aug 18, 2001, Theodore J. Hosier, 76, died Aug. 18, 2001, at Community Hospital Anderson.

Feb 12, 2002, Sherry's Pantry (Orestes General Store) owner Teddy Leer has leased the general store to Donald Mark of Elwood and work began today to construct a restaurant inside. Work on the kitchen is first. Debra Mullins will manage the restaurant.

Mar 7, 2002, Garland E. Dwiggins, 90, of Alexandria, died March 7, 2002, at Countryside Manor Healthcare Center.

Mar 28, 2002, Gene Hershel Brandenburg passed away at his home in Orestes, March 28, 2002, with his family at his side.

April 5, 2002, the plastic tile has started arriving for the town sewer project and work will start on Monday April 15. Tile was delivered to the location just north of the railroad tracks on Superior Street and also to the far east end of the Red Gold Parking lot across from the Red Gold loading dock.

April 15, 2002, work started on the town sewer project today.

April 21, 2002, Marilyn S. Rigney, 66, died April 21, 2002, at her residence.

April 22, 2002, the crew working on the sewer system in Orestes started digging the lift station at the eastern part of town at the crest of the hill. Digging is proceeding at a slow pace to the west on the south side of the road.

April 23, 2002, Orestes Town Marshal Craig Bousman was granted a one year leave of absence by the Orestes Town Council today and Deputy Marshal Teddy J. Leer will be acting marshal. Bousman plans to return to Orestes within the year and would like to resume his position of marshal.

April 23, 2002, Street Commissioner Denny Pratt is the new owner of the Orestes Trailer Park and was present at the Orestes Town Council Meeting to receive thanks for all the hard work he has done cleaning the place up.

April 23, 2002, crews started today tuck pointing the Orestes Historical Building & Joel Cook Museum. The front or west side of the building will cost approximately $8,000. Plans are for the south side to be completed next as funds are available. A total cost for all four sides was $39,000. A crane and bucket was positioned at the front of the building and crews started at the top by removing stone and doing the mortar work. Most of the time two workmen were busy in the project with one in the bucket and the other on an extension ladder.

April 30, 2002, today was Orestes Day and children from Orestes School visited various locations in the community including the police department, town hall, Red Gold Corporation, town water system and the Joel Cook Orestes Museum.

May 7, 2002, L. Wendell Ferguson, 76, Frankton, died May 7, 2002, at St. John's Medical Center in Anderson after an extended illness.

May 9, 2002, Craig Bousman is officially on leave of absence and Teddy J. Leer is the new Orestes Town Marshal.

Sept 22, 2002, Clyde V. Granger, 93, died Sunday in Community Hospital, Anderson.

Sept 22, 2002, Mary Ruth Harrison, 86, died Sunday in Community Hospital, Anderson.

Mar 3, 2003, as a result of declining enrollment and the possibility of no increased state dollars, the Alexandria Community Schools board could be forced to close Orestes Elementary School.

Mar 18, 2003, in a 3-2 vote Monday, Alexandria Community Schools board members decided to permanently close Orestes Elementary School.

April 29, 2003, Bonnie L. Prestwood ORESTES Bonnie Lee (Mullens) Prestwood, 53, Orestes, died April 19, 2003, at Community Hospital in Anderson after an extended illness. She was born March 20, 1950, in Ohio, and lived in Orestes for more than 30 years. She was a homemaker and worked at Red Gold for eight years. She attended Anderson High School. Survivors include her loving husband of 25 years and soul companion for life, Jerry Prestwood of Orestes; a daughter, Amber Prestwood of Orestes. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Orestes Christian Church with Pastor Rob Williams officiating. Burial will take place at a later date. There will be no visitation.

June 1, 2003, parents, students say goodbye to Orestes school. The school that was formed from the ruins of a devastating tornado will quietly disappear this week. The last day for students at Orestes Elementary -- after an 80-year run as the hubbub of activity in town -- will be Wednesday. On Saturday, current students and those of long ago, came to say good-bye to their school. School colors, purple and gold were everywhere -- including balloons outside marking the way to the celebration. Inside the gymnasium one of the last sounds of children laughing and playing could be heard as they bowled, played a bean bag toss and fished for prizes. The smell of popcorn permeated the air but still didn't soften the blow for most.
June 21, 2003, an Anderson man was caught in the woods east of Orestes Thursday night by an Elwood K-9 officer after fleeing from police. Louis Richard Harris Jr., 32, 1519 West 2nd Street, was arrested at 11 p.m. Thursday on charges of two counts of Class A felony child molesting, which included sexual intercourse, according to an Anderson Police Department probable cause affidavit. Harris is charged with molesting an 11-year-old girl, once in a van in front of his residence between June 1 and Sunday and a second time in his home on Sunday, said the report. Anderson police first went to the Harris' residence Thursday night to investigate the charges, according to the affidavit. The suspect fled from police and led a car pursuit toward Alexandria around 10 p.m. Elwood Police Department patrolman Lenny Popp assisted in the pursuit. The Anderson, Alexandria, Madison County and Elwood police departments worked together to apprehend the suspect, he said. Harris crashed his car along railroad tracks near county roads 200 West and 1100 North, said Popp. He then escaped into a nearby wooded field, south of Orestes. "We went about 500 yards into the thick of the woods," said Popp, who was accompanied by Elwood Police Department K-9 Youri and an Anderson police officer. "Youri tracked Harris' scent and found where he was hiding," said Popp. Popp said Harris tried to attack him, even though he had him at gunpoint. Youri then attacked the 6-foot-3 Harris by biting his left arm and hanging on. After finally obeying police commands, Harris laid down on the ground after which Youri was called off of him. Harris was promptly taken to St. John's Hospital for surgery on his arm, and as of Friday remains hospitalized.

June 24, 2003, following three years of feuding between the community and Alexandria Community Schools Superintendent Carole Storch, she announced her resignation Monday night.

July 30, 2003, James M. "Jim" Huggins, 60, Alexandria, died July 30, 2003, at Community Hospital in Anderson.

Aug 3, 2003, Uva L. (Underwood) Overman, 81, Alexandria, died at Community Hospital.

Sept 11, 2003, David Lankford, an employee at the Orestes Red Gold plant, died in an Indianapolis hospital from injuries suffered when hit by a car. Mark Tyler Miller, 20, Anderson, hit him in the Red Gold parking lot as Lankford was heading into the building for work.

Sept. 22, 2003, John David Howe, 71, of Scottsville, Ky., died Sept. 22, 2003, at the Allen County Hospital in Scottsville, Ky.

Sept 29, 2003, Joseph H. "Joe" Hartwell, 82, Alexandria, died Sept. 29, 2003, at his residence. He was born Jan. 1, 1921, in Frankton, the son of Burl and Addie (Kelly) Hartwell, and resided in Alexandria most of his lifetime. Joe attended Alexandria schools and grew up in the Innisdale addition of Alexandria. Joe served his country in the United States Army during World War II. He retired from Indiana Gas Co. in 1968 after 20 years of employment. During that time he was a welding instructor in the Marion school system. Following his retirement, Joe owned and operated Hartwell Heating and Plumbing in Alexandria. He was a loyal and devoted lifetime member of the Innisdale United Brethren in Christ Church. He was also a member of the Orestes Knights of Pythias and the Men's Tuesday Morning Coffee Cup Fellowship. Joe was a gentle spirit who had a special appreciation and insight for God's gifts to mankind. For years, he has expressed his love for his Lord and Savior through poetry, writing and testimony. Joe loved all of his family. His smile will be sadly missed, but warmly remembered until we meet again.

Oct. 2, 2003, Onda Lee "Nana" Groce, 76, Alexandria, died Oct. 2, 2003, at her residence.

Nov 9, 2003, a 14-year-old student of Alexandria-Monroe High School died Saturday morning after a car she was riding in with five other people struck a tree and utility pole. Nancy Nicole Collins, 14, died at the emergency department of the Anderson Community Hospital from head injuries sustained in the accident, said a police report. At approximately 2 a.m. Saturday, Asa G. Wisler, 23, Orestes, was driving a 1988 Jeep Cherokee, northbound on County Road 75 West when she lost control of the vehicle along a curve, south of Indiana 28.

Dec 5, 2003, an Orestes man will remain in jail awaiting trial after being formally charged Friday with killing a friend in an alcohol-related crash. On Nov. 8 Wisler, who was driving with a .099 blood alcohol level, lost control of the car he was driving at a high rate of speed and hit a tree and utility pole, according to the probable cause affidavit. Nancy Collins, 14, of Frankton died at the scene.

Dec 24, 2003, Max A. Stafford, 75, died Dec. 24, 2003, in Good Samaritan Hospital, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Jan 8, 2004, Orestes School was placed for sale, 26,000-square-foot building, with gymnasium and four baths, formerly used as schoolhouse. Fixer-upper on 8-acre lot. Best offer. Contact Alexandria Community School Corp.

The school corporation will begin taking bids Jan. 15 on the school, which was closed amid considerable opposition last summer. Its students were sent to Cunningham and Marie Thurston elementaries.

The original two-story structure was built in 1923, with additions added later. The windows were replaced six years ago, and part of the roof was repaired in September.

School roofs require a lot of maintenance, McFarren pointed out.

After voting on March 17 to close the school at the end of the 2002-2003 school year the board had to decide whether to sell the property or demolish the old school building. According to McFarren, the decision to market the property gives the community a chance to keep part of its history intact.

Its been part of that community for years, and it has a lot of sentimental value, said McFarren.

Orestes School dates back to 1898, originally serving elementary through high school students. Monroe Township took over the school a year later and it became solely an elementary school. A tornado destroyed the school in 1922, and students were relocated to the lodge hall until the new building was completed in 1923.

The procedure for placing school property on sale is prescribed by state law, McFarren explained. It has to be advertised twice, leading to the Jan. 15 date to begin accepting bids. It will continue for 30 days. Bids may be submitted in writing on a form provided by the school board and available at the administrative office. A $2,000 deposit is required when the bid is submitted. All bids will be open for public inspection.

For more information, contact Alexandria Community School Corp. at 724-4496.

Orestes town officials could not be reached for comment.