GREENE PRAIRIE PRESS DECEMBER 4, 2013 – Vol. 144, No. 49 – Carrollton, Illinois 62016
INSIDE LOCALS
North Greene School District manages to keep 2013 tax levy amount down By CArmeN eNSiNger Greene Prairie Press
Cresswell graduates from basic training. See page A3
NEWS
North Greene School District is in a unique position this year in that it is the only district in the county not required to hold a Truth In Taxation hearing. A Truth in Taxation is a public hearing which must be held before the district approves the following year’s tax levy if the aggregate total of the increase is more than 105 percent of the 2012 tax extension. The Board of Education approved the following amounts for next year’s levy at its monthly Nov. 20 meeting: Education, $1,159,200; Operations and Maintenance, $315,000; Transportation, $126,000; IMRF, $200,000; Tort, $325,000; Social Security, $180,000; Fire Prevention, $31,500; Computer Technology,
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$31,500; Special Ed, $25,200. The aggregate total comes to $2,424,900. “This figure is less than 105 percent of the 2012 tax extension,” Superintendent Les Stevens said. “Therefore, we are not required to hold a Truth In Taxation hearing.” The Building and Grounds Committee submitted its recommendation for prioritizing projects identified in the 10-year Health Life Safety Survey. These included repairs to the 1957 gym roof, repairs to boys and girls restroom facilities at North Greene Elementary and the JuniorSenior High along with numerous doors that need to be repaired or replaced. NG does fall in line with the other district in the county in that it approved application for a School Maintenance Grant in addition to an Energy Efficiency Grant. These funds
“This figure is less than 105 percent of the 2012 tax extension . Therefore, we are not required to hold a Truth in Taxation hearing .”
Les Stevens
Superintendent would be used to enhance funding of to equip five of the district buses the roof, restroom and door repairs. with video surveillance cameras. The Board members approved the motion to use tort funds to purchase replacement of one handicapped the CrisisGo app for smart phones in accessible bus, entering into a new the district was rejected. lease-purchase agreement for a newer The CrisisGo mobile emergency 2014 model next year at a discounted app moves school districts’ emergency price. According to Stevens, the prices response plans from their three-ring will be only $1,000 more than the cur- binders to their smart phones and other rent annual payment for the bus being mobile devices. replaced. Stevens informed the board of the It was approved to use tort funds intent of the Illinois Department of
WHAT BIG EYES YOU HAVE,
Labor to inspect possible mold located in North Greene Elementary on Dec. 3. This was the second date the district had been given for the inspection. In other action, the board approved: n Drew Bell as volunteer assistant high school boys basketball coach. n Employing Kyle Graham as assistant high school softball coach. n Luke Bishop as a volunteer assistant high school boys basketball coach. n Approved Aubrey Bushnell as 7th and 8th grade girls track coach. n Approved Sara Coultas as volunteer assistant high school girls basketball coach. n Renewal of the snow removal service agreement for 2013-14 with Ballard Bros., Inc. at $70 per hour. n Approved application for Energy Efficiency Grant and School Maintenance Grant to enhance funding of roof, restroom and door repairs
GREENE COUNTY
SANTA
Sheriff, county board only contested races in March Primary
VFW makes donation to NG Food Pantry. See page A2
By CArmeN eNSiNger Greene Prairie Press
SCHOOL
FFA members participate in career development event. See page B2
SPORTS
75¢
Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press
Ten-month-old Danilynn Stepp of White Hall gets her first close up look at St . Nick and seems to be OK with the bearded gift giver . She visited Santa at the 9th Annual Hometown Christmas held in White Hall Saturday .
The upcoming March 18 primary election in Greene County stood to be the first election since the mid ‘80s that an incumbent for sheriff did not have an opponent. Filing deadline for getting on the ballot ended at 4 p.m. Monday. Sheriff Rob McMillen would have been the first sheriff since Frances Neubauer in the mid ‘80s to ever be unchallenged in an election. That nearly three decade streak continued with the last minute filing of Luke Lamb for the seat of sheriff at 3:35 p.m. Monday afternoon, just 25 minutes before the filing deadline. McMillen is seeking his second term as sheriff on the Democratic ticket. Lamb, who is currently on the Greene County Board, is running on the Republican ticket. Democrat Deborah Banghart is running unopposed for county clerk and Republican Kirby Ballard is also unchallenged again this year. Six people are on the ballot for county board. Joyce A. Clark of rural Carrollton is running with fellow incumbent Mike Kiger on the Democratic ticket. Clark was just elected to her second term as a Bluffdale Township Trustee and Kiger is seeking his second term on the board. Four people are vying for three spots on the Republican side. Incumbents Joe Nord and Keith Alan Graham are joined by Jeff Sexton, who made an unsuccessful bid to get on the board at the last election, and Mark Boston. Graham is seeking his second term on the board and Nord has been on the board for more than 30 years.
White Hall Lions selling afghans featuring churches High school basketball roundup. See page B1
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Obituaries in this issue: hensOn, Maguire, gibsOn, LangLey, LOngMeyer, sansOn, rhOades
© 2013 Greene Prairie Press
Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press
The White Hall Lions Club is selling afghans featuring the churches of White Hall this holiday season . Donna Waltrip and Lions Club President ron gilmore display the afghan along with several other members of the Lions Club .
By CArmeN eNSiNger Greene Prairie Press The White Hall Lions Club has come up with a unique money-making idea, and one which will ensure the churches of the area live on for generations to come They are selling afghans which feature White Hall churches at a cost of $60 each, the proceeds of which will be used for their many charitable endeavors throughout the community. “We started talking about selling these afghans about two years ago,” Lions Club President Ron Gilmore said. “Finally, we got everything worked out and put together just in time for the Christmas holiday as we figure they would make great gifts.” The afghan features replicas of All Saints Catholic Church, Calvary Baptist
Church, First Christian Church, Christ United Methodist Church, Pentecostal Church, Gentle Shepherd Church, New Life Church, First Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church. The five-by-seven-foot afghan also features the Lions Club emblem in the lower right hand corner. They can be seen on display at People’s Bank and Larson’s. They can be purchased at Price’s Country Gardens or Goben’s Auto Parts or by contacting any Lion’s Club member. They were also on display at White Hall’s Hometown Christmas held in Whiteside Park this past Saturday. “We sold quite a few of them Saturday and people showed a lot of interest,” Gilmore said. “I think a lot of people who might not have wanted to go into the shops (See, white hall, A2)
Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press
John and edith Huston, owners of Whistlestop in roodhouse, stand in front of the deli and bakery which offers a wide variety of meats, cheeses and soon to be fresh baked goods . The Hustons moved to the roodhouse area from Tennessee in July . The store opened for business on Nov . 22 .
Whistlestop opens in Roodhouse By CArmeN eNSiNger Greene Prairie Press There has been a flurry of activity at the old Reco Envelope Factory on Rt. 67 this summer as the Huston Family has been remodeling the building to open a bulk food grocery store. Whistlestop Market opened its doors for business on Nov. 20 offering a wide variety of items from packaged bulk noodles to candies, to jellies to fresh meats and cheeses along with fresh baked bread. The store is owned by John and Edith Huston who are Mennonites who relocated to the Roodhouse area from Tennessee after purchasing the old Reco building in March. C
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“We had to do quite a bit of remodeling before we were able to open as a grocery store,” John Huston said. “The entire front area used to be office space so we had to knock out all the walls, raise the ceilings and pretty much just went through and renovated it to make it work for us.” Cooling freezers were installed in the back wall and the area that contained all of the machinery for making the envelopes is being converted into a deli and bakery which not only offers fresh meats and cheeses, but will soon offer freshly baked bread. “Right now, we are getting our baked goods out of another bakery like this one which we will continue to use until we get this one up (See, whistlestop, A2)