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Thursday, November 19, 2015
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Upgrading Darius Miller Park City looks at train and historical themes By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Renovation plans for Darius Miller Park are in full swing. At the Princeton City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, Laurie Bonucci, a member of the park planning committee, gave an update on the plans the committee has been working on for the park.
The committee has been meeting every other week since September. Bonucci said during the first couple months, committee members talked only about ideas for the park, but now those ideas have been dwindled down to a list of more realistic plans for the space. Bonucci said the committee’s focus is to make the area a simple, welcoming green space, while incorpo-
rating historical elements to tie it into the neighborhood and the city’s historical pride. Wanting to use trains as a soft focal point for the space, Bonucci said the committee has used inspiration from a train park located in Phoenix, Ariz. She said they would like to incorporate train elements for children and historical signage talking about Darius Miller.
Bonucci said she has also researched grants given out by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and discovered it gives out grants of up to $1 million a year in small increments to communities. She said BNSF is interested in train and cultural-themed ideas, as well as historical elements, and Bonucci plans to write for
Darius Page 2
Who was Darius Miller? Bonucci gave a brief history bit about Darius Miller at the Monday, Nov 16, council meeting. She said Darius Miller attended Princeton High School. When he left town, he got involved with the railroad. He worked his way up to become president of the then Chicago-Quincy Railroad — now called the Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Miller died in 1914 from an appendicitis attack. Following his death, the railroad company donated the piece of land that makes up the park to the city. The last time the park was renovated was in 1976.
Richard “Dick” Dorsch
Remembering Dick Dorsch Princeton dentist dies at the age of 76 By Terri Simon Eric E ngel
and
news@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — He was the man with the largerthan-life voice. You knew when he was in the room. He had a kind smile, and he fixed plenty of those smiles in his lifetime. He was involved. He loved life; he loved his family and friends; he loved God. Dr. Richard “Dick” Dorsch, 76, of Princeton died late Sunday evening at Perry Memorial Hospital. Friends and colleagues of Dorsch each seemed to have a story to tell of how this well-known Princeton resident had touched not only their own lives, but the lives of others as well. Practicing dentistry for years, Dorsch had a way of comforting patients, always telling a story or two while working on their teeth. Dr. Harold “Hutch” Hutchinson of Princeton was not only a colleague of
Dorsch Page 4 Year 169 No. 138 One Section - 24 Pages
BCR photo/Terri Simon
All aboard ... to the holiday season Sheffield Public Library Board President Karl Rahr portrays the conductor in the well-known story “The Polar Express” during the village’s Celebrate Sheffield event, held Saturday, Nov. 14. The event at the library was just one of many activities the village planned to kick off the holiday season.
Bureau Valley’s core values Will the district abide by them or change them? By Terri Simon tsimon@bcrnews.com
Editor’s note: This is the first story in a twopart series on a special meeting held by the Bureau Valley School Board. MANLIUS — It was a two-hour meeting of the minds Monday, Nov. 16, as the Bureau Valley Board and about 30 district residents gathered at the Bureau Valley High School auditorium to review a recent survey sent out by the board and discuss future plans for the district. The survey was recently sent to Bureau Valley registered voters to get their thoughts on how the district should proceed with consoli-
dating the junior high schools and/or building a new school in the southern portion of the district. Prior to the survey, the board had voted to build a junior high school next to the high school and consolidate all junior high school students in the district. It had also approved a new kindergarten through fifth-grade building to be built somewhere in the southern part of the district; its location had not been determined. BV Board President Dr. Rick Cernovich opened the meeting by giving a bit of history about the path the board and public had traveled in the past year regarding the district’s aging facilities and options to rectify the issues. He asked the discussion on Monday to remain
Cold weather is on it’s way!
“But the board did what a good board does” Bureau Valley Board President Rick Cernovich “civil without emotion.” He said BV Superintendent Stephen Endress, along with all the BV Board members, had received much criticism in the past, and he was hoping for a discussion that didn’t include accusations and name call-
Bureau Valley Page 4
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