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Saturday, May 4, 2013
Bomb threat caller sent to prison By Barb Kromphardt bkromphardt@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON – The man responsible for calling in two bomb threats to north Princeton businesses in December 2011 and January 2012 was sentenced to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on Friday. “Probation would deprecate the seriousness of this offense,” said Bureau County Circuit Judge Marc Bernabei in issuing his ruling to Kristofer Watson, 25. Watson had pleaded guilty to the charge of disorderly conduct, a Class 3 felony on Feb. 26. On Dec. 10, Watson made a call to AmericInn in Princeton regarding a bomb threat at the Burger King restaurant. He made a second similar call to Culver’s Restaurant regarding a bomb at the McDonald’s restaurant on Jan. 4, 2012. Watson’s wife, Brandi Watson, testified her husband had some mental health issues that needed to be addressed, and he was receiving counseling and medication through her insurance. She said her husband provided care for her 4-year-old and 2-year-old children as well as her ailing grandmother. Brandi Watson urged Bernabei for probation rather than a jail sentence. “It would tear my kids apart,” she said. Watson gave an unsworn statement from the defense desk. He said he suffered from a lot of unresolved emotional issues, and he wasn’t thinking logically when he called in the bomb threats, and he had no intent to have anyone hurt. “I understand completely that what I did was wrong, and it should never have happened,” he said. “I would never dream of doing anything like that again.” Bernabei said state law calls for probation for Watson’s offense, but allows for incarceration for two to five years depending on the mitigating circumstances.
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A torrent of scams Madigan, Thompson urge residents to be cautious By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Bureau County residents are urged to be aware of home repair con artists who could exploit people who just want to get their basements cleaned up after the recent heavy rains.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has issued a statement warning Illinois residents to be on the alert for home repair con artists, especially after the April 17-18 heavy rains and floods that damaged so many homes across the state. Madigan said home repair scammers are known to move into affected areas
to take advantage of people rushing to secure their property and make repairs. These “storm chasers” try to catch people off-guard to pressure them into making a quick, often expensive, decision, she said. Illinois residents and business owners are urged to call the Consumer Fraud Hotline (800-386-5438) to report any suspicious
See Scams Page 4
BCR photo/Donna Barker
Joan Christian of Buda shows a tree painting done in memory of her son, Steven, who died April 11 at the age of 7. The leaves on the tree are the fingerprints of the students in the Bureau Valley Grade School in Wyanet, where Steven was in first grade. The names of Steven’s classmates are on the back of the canvas. Family and friends celebrated Steven’s life with a balloon launch and ceremony Tuesday evening at the Wyanet Memorial Park. Also shown are Steven’s father Darin Christian (seated from left), the Rev. Willy Minnix, and family friend and event organizer Mikki Kruger.
Saying good-bye for now ... Seven year old honored at ceremony By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
WYANET — Joan Christian says the lesson she wants children to take from the death of her 7-year-old son Steven is that they don’t need to be afraid to live ... and they don’t have to be afraid to die. Steven died April 11 after choking on a toy bouncy ball which had gotten lodged in his throat. On Tuesday evening, more than 200 family and friends, classmates of Steven and their parents — and even people who didn’t know the Christian family — gathered at the Wyanet Memorial Park for a balloon launch in celebration of Steven’s life.
The day her son died was the day his mother decided to do the balloon launch. “I stood in the hospital, and I knew I wanted to do a balloon launch for the children,” Christian said. “It’s a good way for them to say good-bye, and I wanted them to know they didn’t have to be afraid of dying or living.” Close family friend Mikki Kruger was at the hospital that day and organized the balloon launch and ceremony, which included the presentation of the U.S. flag to Steven’s parents from his Boy Scout troop. Two poster-size photographs of Steven were placed near the stage of the park shelter where the ceremony was held. Another artwork depicted a tree with the thumbprints of Steven’s classmates as the leaves.
As part of the ceremony, Jan Pistole, a registered nurse at Perry Memorial Hospital, talked about how people should be careful when they eat and careful with what they put into their mouths. Pistole said children shouldn’t run or laugh when they are eating food. They should make sure pieces of food are small enough, so they don’t get caught in the throat. Food should not be cut into round pieces because they can get lodged more easily. A general recommendation is pieces of food should be no larger than the tip of the pinkie finger, Pistole said. Of course, no toys should ever be put in the mouth, she added. “I want you to know it’s safe to eat, but just make sure the pieces are small enough,” Pistole said.
See Steven Page 4
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