Single Copy Cost 50¢ Volume 147 No. 1
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Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Fewer concealed carry applications issued By Ken Schroeder
kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
SPRINGFIELD — Applications for concealed carry permits are slowing down in the state of Illinois, while the system for the process is getting easier. The Illinois State Police processed more than 42,000 applications in the first six weeks of the year. Since mid-February, according to the Illinois State Police, the rate has
dropped off, only recently passing 85,000 applications since the beginning of the year. With 102 counties in the state of Illinois, LaSalle County ranks seventh overall in concealed carry permits per person issued at just under 3 percent or 3,327 permits issued out of a population of 112,944. Neighboring Putnam County sits at 44th place with less than 1 percent of permits issued, a total of 54 residents out of 5,876 in total county population.
Bureau County ranks 69th out of 102 Illinois counties in concealed carry permit percentages with 237 or 0.7 percent of residents out of 34,314. Art Smith at Buffalo Range Shooting Park of Ottawa said things may be turning around. “For the last couple of months, it’s been slower with fewer students in classes,” Smith said. “I just looked at the schedule for September, and the numbers are moving back up. I think summer was a fac-
tor with everyone so busy with vacations and such.” To obtain a concealed carry permit, an individual is required to attend 16 hours of concealed carry firearm training according to state law requirements. Members of the military and police personnel are allowed less time in the classroom due to prior firearm training. A concealed carry license is good for five years and may be renewed. An applicant does not need to provide fingerprints with
the application, but the Illinois State Police who review the applications can take up to an additional 30 days to process the application without fingerprints. A person also must have an FOID card. Illinois residents who cannot receive a concealed carry law include convicted felons, convicted domestic abusers and those who have been convicted of a misdemeanor involving use of violence or force and have had two or more violations related
to driving under the influence or those who have been in treatment for substance abuse within five years of filing for the concealed carry permit. The state of Illinois was the last state in the nation to pass the concealed carry legislation. Individual Illinois residents who are still interested in obtaining a concealed carry permit in Illinois can visit the Illinois State Police website page: https://ccl4illinois.com/ ccw/public/home.aspx.
Taking a ride on rides The high cost of carnival out of reach for some communities By Ken Schroeder
kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
When summer is here, it comes with county fairs and village celebrations. The smell of corn dogs, the joyful taste of lemon shake-ups and the laughter of children on carnival rides fill the air. At least, that used to be the case. More and more, villages and counties are bypassing hiring amusement companies in favor of inflatable attractions. There are several reasons, but it usually comes down to money. Bob Johnson is the chairman of the Outdoor Amusement Business Association, the business association which most carnival operators belong to. Johnson said although the carnival ride business is experiencing a comeback from the damage done by the Great Recession, there are still festivals which are eschewing the use of tilt-a-whirls and Ferris wheels for bouncy houses and slides. “It’s expensive to operate a carnival, and that makes it hard to compete price-wise,” Johnson said. “Because it’s mobile, the operating costs include diesel fuel, and with the ever-changing cost of fuel, the expenses from week to week are hard to predict.”
Carnivals Page 3 Vol. 147 No. 1 One Section - 16 Pages
© The Putnam County Record
Putnam County Record photo/Dixie Schroeder
Putnam County High School Interact Club hosts blood drive Putnam County High School student Megan Keegan of Hennepin waits for collection specialist Kerri Reeve of Moline to start her blood donation during the Red Cross blood drive hosted by the Putnam County High School Interact Club last week.
Fighting the good fight Benefit for Tina Myres is Sept. 6 By Ken Schroeder
kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com
MARK — Tina Myres’ life turned upside down in April. The rural Hennepin woman went in for surgery to remove what was believed to be a benign tumor. Unfortunately, what the doctors found was actually Stage 4 sarcoma.
A benefit is being held for Myres and her family on Sept. 6 at the Clover Club at 105 E. Hennepin St. in Mark. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children, 3 to 12, which includes food, drinks and children’s games and activities. The open house starts at 1 p.m., and food will be served from 3 to 9 p.m. In addition to food, there will be raffles, a silent auction and entertainment from live bands and a
disc jockey. Stage 4 sarcoma is insidious. Soft tissue sarcoma is a disease in which cancer cells are found in soft tissue in the body including muscles, tendons, connective tissue, fat, blood vessels, nerves and joint tissue. According to the American Cancer Society, Stage 4 is the worst; the sarcoma has spread to other areas of the body. It is rarely curable. “It started as a benign tumor,” Myres said. “Somehow, it transformed. Unfortunately, when we
did the surgery on the leg, we were under the assumption it was still benign. The procedure that was done was probably the worst thing to do at the time.” The surgery resulted in the amputation of Myres’ right foot and much of her shin. Myres’ sarcoma has metastasized, primarily to her lungs where sarcoma is the most responsive to treatment, although still not a guarantee.
Myres Page 3