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Single Copy Cost 50¢ Volume 149 No. 15
“PRSRT STD.” US Postage Paid No. 486 SHAW MEDIA POSTAL PATRON LOCAL R.R. BOXHOLDER CARRIER ROUTE PRESORT
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Andersen enters not guilty plea Standard man says he’s not guilty of concealing the homicidal death of Deborah K. Dewey By Goldie Rapp
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
Clifford Andersen
HENNEPIN — The Standard man charged with concealment of the homicidal death of Deborah K. Dewey entered into a not guilty plea in Putnam County Court on Nov. 29.
Clifford A. Andersen Jr., 66, who is also Dewey’s brother-in-law, went before Circuit Judge Michael McCusky with his attorney, Drew Parker of Parker & Parker Attorneys at Law of Peoria. There he waived his request for a speedy trial and instead called for a jury trial to be set for 9 a.m. May 8.
The plea came a day after the Putnam County grand jury returned an indictment charging Andersen with concealment of a homicidal death, a Class 3 felony. On Nov. 29, Andersen appeared in court wearing a Peoria County Jail black and white jumpsuit, where
he’s being held for logistical reasons. Andersen used a metal walker to get around and was allowed to kiss and hug his wife, son and four other people there to witness his court proceeding.
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Easing the pressure
IVCC Holiday Craft Fair showcases 30 vendors
Agricultural easement programs combined By Dave Cook
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
PCR photo/Dave Cook
Magnolia’s Kathi Brooker tried on jewelry made from vintage silverware at the ninth annual IVCC Holiday Craft Fair on Nov. 30. The fair featured items from more than 30 vendors.
One man — 24 deer
Accident rate results in becoming a regular at the body shop By Dave Cook
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
HENNEPIN — Anyone with a driver’s license has seen, narrowly missed or unfortunately hit a deer while traveling our area roads. One area man, however, has accumulated a larger than normal tally of deer collisions. Quentin Buffington, 44, of Hennepin has been a licensed driver since he was 16. In those 28 years, Vol. 149 No. 15
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he’s hit or been hit by 24 deer. “I’ve hit 24, but I’ve successfully avoided far more, probably hundreds,” Buffington said. Saying he’s hit or been hit at all times of day and night, on all types of roads and in several different vehicles, there are no indications he could provide that would show a common link between the accidents. While the average cost of a deer collision is approximately $4,000, Buffington’s most damaging hit resulted in $8,000 of damage to the Lincoln he was driving at the time.
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PCR photo/Dave Cook
Pictured is one of the three dents caused during Quentin Buffington’s most recent deer collision. The deer first struck the front fender causing a small dent, then it left a larger dent in the door and it finished the damage at the rear quarter panel which received the most damage.
PRINCETON — The USDA recently announced program changes which will assist farmers with conservation easement options. When agricultural land is threatened by community development or is marginal acreage which frequently floods, a conservation easement might be an appealing solution. Dave Hyatt, state easement coordinator for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), said there were multiple easement programs in the 2008 Farm Bill which have now been combined under one program as part of the 2014 Farm Bill. The Agriculture Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) has replaced the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP). ACEP has two parts — working Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetlands Reserve Easements (WRE). Hyatt said, “The WRE is very similar to the previous WRP. Under the WRE we purchase an easement on what typically is marginal crop land that is wet and floods frequently and is generally not an economically-viable farming option. We’re purchasing a handful of rights on the property, mainly to cease production and restore it back to wetland.” The wetlands help meet the goals of the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy which aims to reduce the amount of harmful nutrients entering our waterways and also helps increase important wildlife habitat. Erika Luft, NRCS district conservationist for Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark counties said there has been some local land developed into conserved wetlands, but since the ACEP program has a 20-acre minimum easement requirement, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) may be a better approach. Luft said, “This area falls into a CRP eligible watershed with the Illinois River. We’ve typically had a little more interest in that route with restoring smaller pieces of land that stay wet. Those little pieces can enter
Easing Page 3