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Read us at ISSUU.COM: (search for The Pioneer Newspaper, Madison County, IL.) Or www.thepioneernewspaper.com or on FACEBOOK Including: Alhambra, Bethalto, East Alton, Hamel, Grantfork, Highland, Marine, Troy, Greenville, and surrounding areas. Email us at: thepioneerpaper@gmail.com • Office Phone 618-882-4932 PO Box 144 • Highland, IL 62249 Proudly printed with recycled paper and soy ink.
All Material herein - Copyright 2017
Vol. 25 • No. 49 - Wednesday -Dec. 6, 2017
Masons Breakfast With Santa Well Attended
By Bill Napper HIGHLAND - It has been often said the best sign of a good restaurant is a packed parking lot with a line of customers standing outside the door. If the parking lot was any indicator, it was obvious that the 23rd annual Breakfast With Santa sponsored by the Highland Masonic Lodge here was a huge hit! Eggs, sausage, pancakes, biscuits & gravy, with plenty of refreshments filled every plate at the Sunday morning event. Santa was on hand too! He posed for a free photo taken by Voegele Photography with every child. The New Switzerland Model Railroad had a display of trains on hand as well. See more photos on page 10.
The line was steady and no one went away hungry at the annual breakfast with Santa held by the Highland Masonic Lodge which was held at the KC Hall. (Pioneer Photo/ By Bill Napper)
Madison County Holds Illinois Bicentennial flag raising ceremony
Christmas Light Display Madison County gave a salute to the Illinois Bicentennial during a special flag raising ceremony on Monday. The ceremony took place in the courtyard between the Administration Building and Courthouse at 157 N. Main St., Edwardsville. County Board chairman Kurt Prenzler read a proclamation kicking off the state’s 200th birthday celebration. Madison County joined other Illinois counties and communities across the state in hosting the event. “Illinois became the 21st state to join the union on Dec. 3, 1818,” Prenzler said. “The Bicentennial will pay tribute to the people, places and things across our state and what make us great.” Chief Judge David Hylla and Judges Dennis Ruth, Sarah Smith and Philip Alfred, along with Madison County Historical Museum Director Jon Parkins, who was dressed in periodic clothing, joined Prenzler at the flagpole. Prenzler said at one point in time, before Illinois became a state, the majority of its territory was Madison County. “Madison County stretched all the way north of St. Louis and reached into parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan,” he said. “Madison County was established in 1812, long before cities up north were even thought about. Edwardsville is the third oldest city in the state and incorporated in 1819 just after Illinois became a state.” The Bicentennial is set to showcase Illinois’ influence on American history and culture, achievement and invention, business and art. Visit www.illinois200.com to find out more about the celebrations and events that will take place across the state during the next year. (The Pioneer Newspaper/ Contributed photo)
Pioneer Photo/ Bill Napper
Allan and Buddy Poettker stand with a Christmas display that has been growing for the past 30 years. All of the displays which are breathtaking and overwhelming are hand made. The displays are enormous.
By Bill Napper HIGHLAND - Allan Poettker was 13 years old when his father Buddy went hunting in Nebraska many years ago. With his dad being off hunting, his mother, Ethel asked him “to put up a few lights on the bushes and that’s how it got started,” said Buddy. Now, he is 43, and decorates the home he bought next door as well as his mom and dads home and the entire two block area located at 4th and Washington streets. He also decorates Poettker Trucking, a mini storage business, and his neighbors prop-
erty as well. “We have had quite a few cars come by especially Sunday evening,” Buddy said. “He puts a lot of work into this,” his father said. “It’s all hand made and he works every night in his shop.” When Alan isn’t building his display, he is teaching students as an Information Technology Professor at Ranken Technical College. Oversized Christmas lights decorate the ground. They are actually green flower pots that look like Christmas light bulbs. There is also a hand made air-
plane that is more than 25 years old. The lights on the trees, bushes and homes are so bright, the street lights aren’t needed. There is a hand made carousel, hundreds of lights and displays. A huge clock with moving hands seem to point the way to a pair of bears playing on a seesaw. Nearby are the three Wiremen and a beautiful nativity scene complete with the Holy Family. On a table is a guest book should anyone wish to sign it. Donations are accepted and all of the money is slated for the Highland Animal Shelter.