$1.00 JULY 21, 2021
PITTSFIELD, IL
NEWS
Hidden shoes thought to have brought protection, luck. See page A2
Picture Pittsfield hosting vendors, live music on Courthouse Lawn for “Christmas in July”. See page A2
Backyard Bible Club starts next week. See page A9
WEEKEND WEATHER FRIDAY, JULY 23
90 73 High
Low
SATURDAY, JULY 24
92 74 High
Low
SUNDAY, JULY 25
92 74 High
Low
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Pike Press
County GIS/ IT committee votes to explore group health insurance rates
By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press At the Tuesday, July 13, meeting of the Pike County Board’s GIS/IT Committee, the group elected to explore the idea of putting the county employee group health insurance plan out for bid. Committee members Derek Ross and Amy Gates voted to explore other plans, while committee member Reta Hoskins voted “present” in response to the motion. Ross felt compelled to explore the county’s health insurance options, as health insurance premiums are among the county’s largest expenditures. “We spend $1.5 million on insurance premiums - $1.2 million on health insurance and about $300,000 on property casualty,” Ross said. “We should be paying closer attention. There’s no harm on the health side of looking at the numbers.” According to Ross, the vote by the committee was simply to try and get rough numbers from insurance providers to compare to the county’s current plan from the Hope Trust. “This is just a preliminary attempt at getting possible rates to see if it makes sense to put it out for bid,” Ross said. His desire to look at new insurance options, Ross said, was also prompted by what he perceives as inaction on the part of the board when it comes to shopping around for the county’s group health insurance plan. “To my knowledge, there hasn’t been a meeting of the insurance committee this year,” Ross said. “When I tried to bring it up last year, it never made it out of committee to the full board in time to put it out for bid.” Besides being a good management practice on the part of the board, Ross said putting the county’s health insurance out for bid could save money for both taxpayers and county employees. “I have an issue with not putting out for bid the county’s second most expensive expenditure, behind only payroll,” Ross said. “If we can save money for taxpayers, we can save money for the employees.” While Ross is attempting to get quotes from several insurance providers, he is unsure that he will be able to provide enough information to the companies for them to provide an accurate quote in response. “What I hope can do is find out for plans, demographically speaking, that are similar to our group, rates are this much,” Ross said. “I hope I can get the numbers, but I may not be able to unless it is formally put out for bid.” Ross said that time would also be a factor in the county’s ability to bid out its health insurance plan, because the Hope Trust requires notification of renewal or nonrenewal by the beginning of September.
pikepress.com
VOL. 179, NO. 29
Dog missing 14 months found on the wrong side of the Illinois River
By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Scott County Dog Rescue President Becky Lashmett was notified last week of a stray dog loose in the Illinois River bottoms near Scott County’s Oxville. “It was reported to me by somebody who had seen him on what they called the back road to Naples,” Lashmett said. “The woman who reported the dog said he came out of the cornfield and acted like he wanted to get into her car.” According to Lashmett, she posted about the lost dog on Facebook, after which point she was contacted by Valley City resident Angie Johnson. “She said she thought it was her dog Zeppelin that had been missing for 14 months,” Lashmett said. According to Johnson, the Facebook post was brought to her attention by a friend in Griggsville, who recognized the dog immediately. “He’s pretty distinct,” Johnson said. “He has one blue eye and one brown eye, and his tail is docked.” Lashmett surmises that the dog must have crossed from Pike County into Scott County on the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge at Valley City. “And I thought to myself, ‘Oh my God, that dog walked across the railroad bridge,’” Lashmett said. Zeppelin is not the first dog that Lashmett is aware of to cross the bridge. “Probably 15 years ago, a St. Bernard did the same thing and walked across the river,” Lashmett said. According to Johnson, Scott County Animal Rescue’s Lashmett and her Facebook post were instrumental in helping her find her long-lost dog. “I want Becky to know that she reunited us,” Johnson said. “She went above and
Submitted photo
A husky-mix, named Zeppelin, was found in rural Scott County, between Oxville and the Illinois River, after having run away from its Valley City home 14 months ago. Zeppelin is shown here with owner Angie Johnson after being found. The dog evidently crossed the river on the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge. Diseased and pest-ridden, an online fundraiser has been started to help with veterinary bills. Excess proceeds from the $1,000 fundraiser are being donated to the Pike County Animal Shelter and Scott County Dog Rescue.
beyond. I think the total time from when I first saw his picture on Facebook to when I picked him up was right at one hour.” According to Johnson the reunion with her dog was an emotional one. “It’s like having my best friend back,” Johnson said. “We’re pretty close. He goes everywhere with me. Becky was crying. I was crying.” Before the reunion, Johnson said she had almost abandoned hope of finding Zeppelin again, but something kept her from moving on. “I started to give up hope, and I thought about getting a new dog,” Johnson said. “I just couldn’t yet.”
Because he had been running loose for months and lacking medical attention, Johnson faced a large vet bill to attend to all of Zeppelin’s health issues. In response, Johnson’s sister, Hilary Allen, set up an online fundraiser to help with the costs. Johnson says that the fundraiser more than covered the veterinarian fees, and all excess money raised will be donated to the Scott County Dog Rescue and the Pike County Animal Shelter. “I want to thank everyone who has already donated,” Johnson said. “We’ve got his vet bills covered already, so everything else that gets raised will go to the shelters.” (See, FOUND, A2)
Walking path at King Park could be finished this year By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press With the second phase of the walking path at King Park barely dry, Picture Pittsfield is already planning the third and final stage. “We started out with four phases, but, changed to three,” Patrick Lamb, President of Picture Pittsfield, who is raising money for the materials, with the city providing the labor. “We have the money in our funds to pay for it, but, it would lower our
balance lower than we would like. We are waiting for some final word on grants and, hopefully, a few more donations.” The first phase of the path took shape in 2019, when the city covered the ditch and placed a new sidewalk on the south side of the pool house, along Benson Street. Phase two was completed earlier this year after a donation from the Ty Rylander Foundatiions and some fundraising efforts. Fundraising was difficult last year
because of Covid restriction but a duck drawing in both 2019 and 2020 got the project started. Another duck drawing has been held this year, but, according to Lamb, was not as successful as the first two. Total cost of the materials for the remainder of the project is about $8.500. “A lot of the grants we have applied for, say the project must be completed in 12 months,” Lamb said. “We could use more money and more volunteers to help.”
Max Middendorf, who does all the city’s engineering work has drawn up the plans. “We are hopeful for the grants because we don’t want to use all of our general funds,” Lamb said. Lamb said Picture Pittsfield is grateful to the help they have received from the city. “Praise be to the city,” he said. “We appreciate them recognizing our efforts and helping us make this a reality and not just a dream.
Public Notice . . . . A7 Obituaries in this issue: Carter, Cawthon, Dunham, Kelley, Ruble, White.
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Pike County residents show vehicles at annual Winchester Car Show on the Square By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Several Pike County car enthusiasts were in Winchester over the weekend for the annual Winchester Car Show on the Square. Well over 100 vehicles were registered at the show by 10 a.m. on Saturday.
David Camphouse/Pike Press
Right: Gene Stickman showed his 1970 Chevy C10 at Saturday’s Winchester Car Show on the Square. Stickman started working on the truck with his son, Cole, before he was killed in a four-wheeler accident 23 years ago. According to Stickman, the truck sat idle for 18 years following the accident, before he started working on it again. David Camphouse/Pike Press
Left: Dorothy and Roger Yaeger brought their 1937 Pontiac Salesman Coupe to the Winchester Car Show on the Square on Saturday, July 17.