CALHOUN NEWS-HERALD
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INSIDE SOCIAL
Aubrey's 2nd birthday. See page A8
NEWS
Woman's clubs gather for annual dinner. See page A5
NEWS
HARDIN, ILLINOIS 62047
JULY 24, 2013
Kieffer pleads guilty to insurance fraud, charged in shooting By BOB CROSSEN Calhoun News-Herald The same day former Calhoun County Supervisor of Assessments Sherrie Brandi Kieffer pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and filing a false police report, she was charged with shooting a man. According to court documents, Kieffer reported a 2000 Chrysler Town and Country van, registered to her, stolen Dec. 29, 2012. Filed March 26, Kieffer was charged with filing a false police report and for insurance fraud after the Calhoun County sheriff’s office found the van submerged in the Mississippi River. Court documents filed Feb. 19 indicate Kieffer “knowingly obtained via deception, control over $3,198.50 … from the Nationwide Insurance Company by making a false claim on an insurance policy issued by the Nationwide Insurance Company.” She pleaded guilty to those charges on Monday. Calhoun County Sheriff Bill Heffington said he followed numerous leads in pursuit of the van he presumed to have been stolen before he found evidence – broken pieces of a vehicle – at Riprap Landing north
of Hamburg, leading to the discovery of the vehicle submerged in 25 feet of river water. Recovering the van from the river required two towing companies because the first company’s truck broke as it attempted to pull the van out of the water. Kieffer pleaded guilty to both charges when she appeared in court for a separate issue. Filed July 19 were charges that Kieffer allegedly caused great bodily harm to Jeffery P. Angel July 17. According to court documents filed July 22, “while acting in a reckless manner, [Kieffer] caused great bodily harm to Jeffery P. Angel, in that she recklessly handled a loaded 38 Special Firearm while in an intoxicated state, causing said firearm to discharge, striking Jeffery P. Angel in the thumb.” Sheriff Heffington said the incident allegedly occurred in the parking lot of The Palace in Hamburg. Kieffer’s conditions for bail are not to possess or use alcohol, not to possess a firearm and not to enter a tavern. As of Monday, Kieffer was being held in the Jersey County jail with $10,000 in bail which was reduced from $25,000. (See, KIEFFER, A2)
The
VOLUME 140 - ISSUE 30
joke's on you
Bob Crossen/Calhoun News-Herald
More than 200 people attended the Calhoun Entertainment Company's Jamboree Saturday evening where numerous members of the company performed songs solo. Members on the stage, left to right, Steve Johnson, CEC director Jerry Sievers, Hardin Mayor Phil Gress, Mike Sievers, Calhoun County State's Attorney Rick Ringhausen, Rick Sievers and Alyson Woulfe sang and performed songs between small bursts of cheeky comedy which aroused much laughter from the crowd as it ate dinner.
Brussels school wrangles with elementary roof bids
Scenes from CEC Jamboree. See page B1
SPORTS
Calhoun edged by Jerseyville for district title. See page A10
By BOB CROSSEN Calhoun News-Herald The Brussels Unit 42 board of education discussed how to proceed with improvements to the elementary school roof after opening bids far outside the district’s price range. Dr. Mark Martin, Brussels schools superintendent, said the board did not take any action because the costs of repair would eat too deeply into the district’s budget, adding he is working with a couple companies to iron out better prices. “We got several bids on it to replace it or repair it. Everything is
coming in higher than we expected,” Martin said. “We’re going back and forth on those kinds of things – rules and regulations – and of course those regulations require things that are more expensive.” Martin said estimates prior to opening the bids were around $125,000, and the district looked into a maintenance grant to cover the cost. Such a grant would only take care of $50,000, he said. The board had additional questions regarding the work on the roof. Martin said the county did not have regulations or codes regarding such repair on public buildings, but said
there are state statutes that govern the work. The superintendent said the the district will investigate those codes because they will likely drive up the cost of repair or replacement of the school’s roof. Lunch prices were increased by $.20 by approval of the board to align with prices standardized by the state. Martin said the district has performed incremental increases during the past few years, and said the most recent increase puts the district in the target range issued by the state. Those lunches will be made on new equipment, however. Martin said
the district removed an old stove – approximately 50 years old – to replace it with a newer one. The stove cost the district $8,000, and will be installed next to the other stove in the kitchen. Martin said there is a considerable age difference between the new stove and other equipment still working in the kitchen. By moving playground equipment to complete a project on the septic tank – funded by a school maintenance grant from last year – Martin said the play structure fell apart and needs replacement. Teacher Sarah Kinder will shop
Calhoun Ferry Company starts Winneberg ferry operations Friday in Grafton hit by second
storm, interviews contractors for roof work
NEWS
What's happening between the rivers. See page B2
ONLINE
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CALHOUN NEWSHERALD • Index • Obituaries . . . . . . A3 Our Town . . . . . . A9 News . . . . . . . A4,A5 Public Notice . . . B8 Real Estate . . . D6-7 Correspondence B2 Social . . . . . . . . . A8 Sports . . . . . . . . A10 Obituaries in this issue: Coram, Koster
© 2013 Calhoun News-Herald
around for a replacement structure, Martin said. Martin said by the end of June the gym had a new scoreboard. It was purchased by the Brussels Booster Club for $7,000, and the school board paid for up to $1,000 for the installation of the unit. Martin said the new equipment looks great in the gym. The high school English teacher retired unexpectedly, Martin said, adding the district will start the interview process for a new teacher whom it hopes to hire before the beginning of the school year. It is unclear how many candidates there are at this time for the position.
Mike Weaver/Calhoun News Herald
Dredging finally began at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers to prepare for the opening of a ferry across the river to Missouri. The Grafton City Council has been working with an engineer to dredge the river since the start of the year, and Mayor Tom Thompson hoped to have the ferry running by May. However, flooding in April delayed the work until water levels calmed.
By BOB CROSSEN Calhoun News-Herald After three years without service, the Grafton Ferry will open this Friday, offering travelers an express route to Grafton or across the river into the St. Louis area. The Calhoun Ferry Company, which also runs a ferry to and from Golden Eagle and Missouri, entered into a contract with the city of Grafton to operate a ferry for six months out of the year, Denise Knight, Calhoun Ferry Company secretary, said. “We’re looking forward to operating,” Knight said. “I’m hoping we’ll have a real good year there. It’s a booming town.” The ferry will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Knight said a one-way trip is $8 and a roundtrip is $15 for cars. The cost will increase for larger vehicles. The Calhoun Ferry Company will supply the ferry and operate it from May 1 to Oct. 31, weather permitting. Prior to the contract with Calhoun Ferry Company, the Grafton Ferry was operated by a different private company. The city of Grafton owns the landings for the ferry, she added. Opening the ferry was delayed for
months due to heavy rainfall and flooding. Early this year, Grafton Mayor Tom Thompson announced the ferry would open in the spring, aiming for a grand
“The flooding was the biggest issue why they didn’t dredge earlier this year.”
Denise Knight Calhoun Ferry Company opening in early May. Those plans were foiled as the area was constantly doused with rain, leading to historic flood levels in April and May. Because the water was so high, the river could not be dredged, a prerequisite to opening the ferry. Dredging of the river was paid entirely through grant funds. “The flooding was the biggest issue why they didn’t dredge earlier this year,” Knight said. The flooding took its toll on local businesses in the town, Thompson said, noting he hopes the ferry will bring more visitors to help boost the economy in the city. At
recent city council meetings, Thompson has advocated for ways to increase tourism traffic to generate more sales tax revenue for the city. The increased business would benefit residents of Grafton, as well. “The flood times were devastating,” Thompson said. “You put our businesses that depend on May, June, July, August, September, October and knock them down for two months, it is absolutely catastrophic. So that’s why we’re pushing to get the ferry opening and promoting tourism.” During a city council meeting in late May, the board approved a $16,000 expense for prime time advertising with Channel 2 KTVI to promote local businesses and events in the Grafton area. Opening of the ferry comes just in time for the towboat festival this weekend when a large number of tourists are expected to visit the riverside town. Thompson said the annual Bikers for Babies event will also travel through the city during the weekend with more than 500 participating motorcycles. The grand opening for the ferry is scheduled for July 26 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. C
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By BOB CROSSEN Calhoun News-Herald Misfortune continued at the Winneberg Club House at the beginning of the month when the temporary roof was blown away during a storm the weekend of July 4. A straight line wind ripped the roof off the Winneberg Club House during a storm June 26, shocking members of the private club as well as its president Tom Breckenridge. A temporary roof was installed to protect the interior of the club from future storms, but high winds removed that solution, as well. “The Saturday after the Fourth of July another storm came through the county,” Breckenridge said, “and the temporary roof that was up there was partially blown off. The interior was exposed to additional rainfall on the Saturday storm.” A claims adjuster visited the location near the end of June, but Breckenridge said an official estimate of cost to repair the damages has still not been made. He said the cost to repair the roof is likely around $30,000, but that cost does not cover the price to repair the interior after the most recent storm. He said there was a lot of lost inventory and damaged furniture as well, noting plumbing, electrical work, carpet replacement and drywall repair will also be part of rebuilding the structure. Breckenridge said the club has been interviewing local contractors to do the work, though he said he does not have a timeline on when it will begin. “We’d like to get this started as soon as possible. We’re interviewing right now,” Breckenridge said. “We just got the money for the roof last week, so we’re trying to find some local people that would be willing to do it.” He said the club is still running, however, adding the pool still attracts many visitors through the week. The club house is not open, but he said a hand washing station and a mobile toilet were brought to the property. And the community has been proactive in helping the club house, he said. “We’re going to try and minimize the amount of pain this thing does,” Breckenridge said. “The people of the community have really been very understanding and every day there’s somebody that comes up, ‘Is there something I can do to help out?’” He said people have been generating ideas to help the club, and Breckenridge said he appreciates the effort of community members. The Winneberg Club is located in Golden Eagle overlooking the Mississippi River. There is no date for when reconstruction is expected to be complete.