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LOCAL NEWS
Police cooperation Local agencies announce a plan to share some police resources. / 2
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 • 50 CENTS
Lady Pumas on the attack
TOP STORY: GRANVILLE
Preschool for all depends on the state Putnam County Schools hopeful of receiving educational grant
SPORTS
BY DAVE COOK news@putnamcountyrecord.com GRANVILLE — While state-funded budgets in Illinois are being relentlessly squeezed by Springfield’s continued financial mismanagement, schools are being forced to compete with each other for adequate funding. During the Jan. 16 Putnam County School Board meeting, PC Primary School Principal Ronda Cross discussed the lengthy process required to apply for the state’s Pre-School For All grant. “More schools are applying for grants than ever before, and this one, if awarded in full, will provide $1.5 million over five years to provide early education assistance for Carl Carlson at-risk students,” Cross said. Putnam Cross said the state has County School made the grant application superintendent process far more complicated than it was previously, adding it required an extensive amount of additional work from multiple staff members. She also had to drive to Springfield to submit the thick stack of application forms. More than one comment made supported the belief public schools shouldn’t have to beg the state to fund basic educational programs that have been proved to be beneficial to future success. Superintendent Carl Carlson said the district will likely know by April or May whether they’ve been awarded the funding, adding the state is still in the process of recruiting reviewers who will also have to complete the necessary training. Some of the factors the state is using to judge applying school districts includes federal poverty levels, homelessness, children in care, and children with individualized education programs.
Champions The Lady Panthers win the TCC tourney for the first time in 18 years. / 7
EDITORIAL
Population decline What will it take for politicians to address state’s population loss? /6
LOCAL NEWS Plans are afoot to
build a bridge to link Hennepin with Marquis Oak Ridge Trail and the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge. / 3
PCHS exam absences PCR photo/Dave Cook
PERSPECTIVE Flu strain causes a
lot of strain. Shannon Serpette has tips for when you or a family member is at home with the flu. / 6 Vol. 150 No. 22 One Section - 12 Pages
Eighth-grader Lady Puma Linzee Fay sets the ball as teammate Paige Terando watches during the match against Ottawa’s Shepherd Middle School team on Saturday. The match was supposed to be part of the Lady Puma Classic volleyball tournament, but Seneca’s last-minute withdrawal reduced the lineup to single matches for the seventh- and eighthgrade teams. Putnam County won the best of three seventh-grade series, and Ottawa Shepherd won the eighth-grade competition.
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Principal Clayton Theisinger reported absences during exams has significantly dropped since students with good attendance rates are no longer able to opt out as a reward. “We had double-digit absences last year during finals, and this year we had less than five, and those were known in advance and excused,” he said.
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