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They don’t wear capes, and most would shy away from the spotlight. But day after day, in ways both big and small, they make our communities stronger, kinder and more connected.
We’re talking about the everyday heroes among us. The woman who makes seniors feel like superstars. A truancy officer who brings food to families in need. A librarian who sends books to inmates. A 9-year-old boy who collects blankets for the homeless.
They are everyday heroes who lend a hand, lift a spirit, solve a problem, or
FROM THE EDITOR
M. Eileen Brown
quietly make someone’s day a little easier – and today we pay tribute to the difference they make.
Their impact isn’t measured in headlines or accolades, but in the ripple effects of their actions. What sets them apart is not a single grand gesture, but a
steady commitment to care. They show up, day after day, doing the work that needs to be done, often without fanfare.
We hope the stories in this special edition serve as a reminder that heroism doesn’t have to be extraordinary to matter. Sometimes, it’s found in the simplest acts – a kind word, a helping hand, a willingness to give. And, more often than not, those acts are happening all around us every single day.
• M. Eileen Brown is the executive editor of Shaw Media.
The quiet work that shapes our communities Construction nearing completion on park shelter project
By BILL FRESKOS bfreskos@shawmedia.com
Construction on the City County Park shelter project in Princeton is entering its final stages, with concrete work expected to wrap up soon.
Despite recent delays caused by the weather, crews have continued to make steady progress and now have the finish line in sight, according to officials with
the Princeton Park District. The weather pushed back the original completion timeline, but park district staff say efforts are ongoing to prepare the space for public use as quickly as possible.
“Our crews have been working hard between the clouds,” the park district said in a joint update from the executive director and park maintenance coordinator. “We are doing everything possible to get this space ready for your future
weekend picnics and family gatherings.”
The park district also thanked the community for its patience during delays in construction.
“Projects like this take a village,” the statement said. “We want to extend a huge thank you to all the kind folks in our community for your patience and encouragement. Your understanding of the weather-related delays means the world to our hardworking crews.”
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
Children’s Business Fair set for July 1 in Walnut
The Walnut Public Library District will hold a Children’s Business Fair from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, at Liberty Square, 115 S. Main St., Walnut.
Participants will be able to create and a business. The businesses can be operated by groups. The business fair will coincide with a live band, food truck and Farmer’s Market.
Attendees are required to create a Canva promotional flyer. Library staff will be available for flyer assistance. The fair setup is set from 4:15 to 4:30 p.m. Registration is required.
Walnut library to offer home safety program June 3
The Walnut Public Library District will offer children in fourth through sixth grades a free “Safe At Home Class” program from 1 to
3 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.
Participants can learn about safety habits, how to prevent unsafe situations and how to handle emergencies. The program also includes fire and internet safety, indoor and outdoor safety and when and to call 911. Registration is required. To register, call 815-326-2159.
The Walnut Public Library District is located at 101 Heaton St. in Walnut.
Putnam County High School student receives art show award
Putnam County High School sophomore Lydia Schaper was recently awarded “3-D Art Best of Show” at the annual IVCC Student Art Show held from Monday, April 13, through Friday, April 24.
The art show featured artwork created by Illinois Valley area high school students and Illinois Valley Community College art class students. The art pieces included drawings,
pottery, paintings, sculptures and photographs.
Hennepin library to offer Reddick Mansion tour May 16
The Putnam County Public Library District’s Hennepin branch will offer a tour of the Reddick Mansion at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 16.
Attendees will be able to tour the mansion. Reddick Mansion was built in 1858. The mansion served as a family home, was the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate, and was Ottawa’s library.
The tour costs $15 for adults, $10 for students in grades 1 through 12, and is free for children ages 5 and under. Registration is required. To register, call 815-339-2038, ext. 1
The Reddick Mansion is located at 100 W. Lafayette St. in Ottawa.
– Shaw Local News Network
For 68 years, educator has helped Princeton children learn
By MATHIAS WOERNER
The year is 1958: Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” is in theaters, “Tequila” by The Champs is on the radio and Eleanor Walker began her career in education in the Illinois Valley.
For 68 years, Walker has been in Princeton Elementary School District 115, helping and guiding children.
Walker currently serves as the librarian for Douglas Elementary School, a position she has held for 12 years.
“Mrs. Walker’s work ethic and dedication to education are unmatched,” Douglas Elementary School Principal Mandy Hunt said. “She has served generations of families and impacted countless lives within the Princeton community.”
One thing has been the same across every step of Walker’s career.
“I just really love to work with children,” she said. “I’m very glad that I ended up being able to work with them.”
After graduating from Illinois State University, Walker began her tenure in Princeton as a second grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School.
Walker then transitioned to become a part-time teacher and part-time principal before assuming the role of full-time principal at Lincoln.
In 1994, Walker moved over to Jefferson Elementary School to become its principal. Walker was in that role for 20 years before assuming her current role as librarian at Douglas Elementary School, a position that she said is the favorite of her career.
“I was so fortunate to get to be the librarian,” she said. “One of my first loves was children’s literature and, of course, working with kids.”
“Many people change careers throughout their lifetime or in retirement, but Mrs. Walker has
ELEANOR WALKER
remained passionate and committed to supporting children and their love of learning throughout her 68-year career,” Hunt said. “The students, staff and Princeton community are blessed to have Mrs. Walker as an example.”
To celebrate her 90th birthday on March 26, Douglas Elementary School had a party for Walker in the school’s gymnasium in the middle of the school day.
“Mrs. Walker’s kindness, consistently pleasant demeanor and never-ending optimism can always be noticed in our school community and the Princeton community at large,” Princeton Elementary School District 115 Superintendent J.D. Orwig said. “She has kept the same, steady, wonderful personality that can make anyone around her smile. Eleanor
is just simply a genuine and sincere person.”
Walker said that over her time focusing on children’s literature, things have not stayed the same.
“There’s been a lot of changes,” she said. “Of course, there are a lot more books for children, and they try to keep up with the cartoon characters that are going on now, but I’ll say we have some good children’s authors right now.”
At 90 years old, Walker is unsure whether she will return to Douglas as the librarian for the 2026-27 school year, but said that the community around her makes a compelling case for her to come back.
“We have such good teachers. I’ve just been with them and the children for so long,” she said. “That’s another part of why it’s hard to give up a job, when you work with people that you really like.”
Scott Anderson file photo
Eleanor Walker has been the librarian at Douglas Elementary School in Princeton since retiring as the principal at Jefferson Elementary School.
Bereaved dad turned personal tragedy into outreach
By TOM COLLINS
Joshua Jahn was still grief-stricken – his wife and children had been killed only a few months earlier –when he was first asked to speak in 2009. He was “quite nervous” about recounting the tragedy.
Jahn swallowed hard, stood before a group of high school students and let it out. On Nov. 6, 2008, a drunk driver collided with his wife’s car on Route 47 and Gardner Road, south of Morris. The crash killed Jahn’s 27-year-old wife, Mandy, and their two children. Ryan was not yet 4. Kaitlyn was nine days short
JOSHUA JAHN
You might not recognize the face, but you might know
by a drunk driver. Jahn turned his grief into a life of service. He speaks regularly to DUI impact panels in
his heartbreaking (and inspiring) story has made DUI convicts reconsider their actions.
of her first birthday.
Jahn had never done any public speaking before, but his lack of experience proved no obstacle before his test audience in Dwight. It was a terrible story, but a powerful one. He held the room.
“I felt like I got to introduce my family to people that had never actually met them,” Jahn said. “And I know it’s a big part of my healing process – being able
Photo provided
Joshua Jahn’s story. In 2008, his wife and two young children were killed
La Salle County, where
Below are the letters submitted from our Thank You, Everyday Heroes contest.
Nominee: Mackenzie Kruse
My brother, Mac Kruse, is the school resource officer for Princeton Elementary Schools. He takes his job very seriously and now has a new “partner” to train named Balto. He puts so much effort into being a good role model and police officer for the kids of Princeton. Then he goes home and is a pretty great husband to his wife and father to his kids. This is just the start. Within the past 2 years, Mac has lost both our father and his father-inlaw. He has stepped up immensely to help our mother and his mother-in-law out with whatever is needed, whether it be a new roof, new furnace, yard work- you name it, he’s taken care of it. Now add in me, his older sister who is a single mom doing her best. I have things constantly breaking at my house and in my car. Every time I call him and say, “Are you busy?”, he replies, “Nope, I’ve got a minute. What’s going on?” He is always there to take care of whatever is needed. We all depend on him so much. I sure hope he knows how much he is appreciated, and he deserves everything good in this world.
Tambreah Kruse
Nominee: Tyler Main
Tyler is a hero in every sense of the word... he’s a farmer, producing row crops, pork and beef every single day. He is also a member of the local fire department, a first responder with the ambulance service, active in church, active in his local FFA Alumni as well as several other organizations. He travels the state and country promoting Illinois Pork Producers and travels to DC to speak with politicians about agriculture and pork. However, he’s the best father and husband I could ask for. Mitchell, our 1 year old son is obsessed with his dad and loves farming with him. He provides for his family and community every day, which makes him our everyday hero. Even when he leaves family dinners for medical calls or leaves the tractor in the field to go to fire emergencies he’s our hero and his communities hero.
Elise Main
Nominee: Gregory A. Crabbe
He’s an honest and sincere caring man. He loves and respects nature and animals. His kindness extends to all his family and neighbors. Always willing to help when he can. Being a Marine he has dignity and discipline at all times. He loves his family and has always been there for each of us at different times in life. His honor extends to his Country and to God. Greg has been here for me throughout our life. He knows when I’m down or just need his touch or a smile to help me back up. Above all he is a loving husband and my trusted soulmate and best friend. He is my honest hero for life.
Linda Crabbe
Nominee: Lt. Carl O. McCormick
He served twice in the Vietnam war, so a first time dad could be with his wife for the delivery. He got shot down while on a mission that found the enemy’s weapons hiding place . He was a career man , that fought for our freedom!!!
Diane Gee
Nominee: Bonnie Lynn Pawlak-Lucas-Hartman
Bonnie had saved countless lives working in the emergency medical field between Utica, Peru, Oglesby, Marseilles & Sheridan she’s always helping people and always ready to handle any emergency.
Nick Barrett
Nominee: Marie L. Verdine
She worked over 30 years as one of the first female engineers at the Illinois DOT in Ottawa, in a male dominated profession. After retiring she has been the treasurer at our church when no one else would do it, even through pain in recent months. Even more she cares and helps me to do so also.
Rodney Verdine
Nominee: Emily Snow
Emily goes above and beyond in carrying for people. She makes herself available to you.
Debra Whalen
Nominee: Emily Hardee
Not only does Emily work in a grade school teaching 500+ children daily as a P.E. teacher, in her “spare time” when she isn’t caring for her precious 2-year-old daughter, she started a started a movement for increasing mental health awareness/suicide prevention in the Illinois Valley.
Every year she hosts a 5k in June in honor of her cousin, Molly Yacko, who she lost to suicide in 2018. Emily’s race/movement Run Today For Tomorrow went from a race of 200 participants where the funds from sponsors and race entries was donated to suicide prevention causes in the beginning to recent years where all funds remain local, providing grants to mental health resources as well as the Molly Lenora Yacko Memorial Scholarship for future mental health professionals.
Emily found an outlet for her pain and threw herself whole-heartedly into fighting the stigma of mental health issues and helping others in hopes that no one else has to feel they have no other choice because she believes “in a tomorrow where everyone is here to see it.”
Nick Barrett
Continued from page 4
to give something back and leave something behind. My family’s not physically here anymore. But I know that they’ve impacted so many other people’s lives.
“And after that, I was kind of invigorated to do that more,” Jahn said. “In the middle of 2009, I started to get asked to do some speaking at victim impact panels.”
Drunk drivers are prosecuted and then heavily penalized when convicted.
They also are required to sit for presentations by men and women who’ve lost loved ones in alcohol-related crashes. Jahn eagerly joined a group of bereaved speakers and he’s been a regular in Grundy and La Salle counties.
Kara McConville, victim-witness coordinator for the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office, said Jahn has produced an electric reaction from participants – most of whom are court-ordered to attend and disinclined to listen.
“People have to excuse themselves sometimes because it’s such a deeply moving story,” McConville said. “They have a visceral reaction to him and will sometimes stick around afterwards to share their own stories with him.”
His story resonates in part because the details were so shocking. The at-fault driver blew through a stop sign and broadsided Mandy and the children at 68 mph. The impact ejected the kids out of their car seats and the vehicle.
The accident and ensuing court case made headlines across Illinois. Notably, the driver has not yet completed her prison sentence. Ann Marie Getz, now 60, was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the fatal crash. She’s scheduled for parole in spring 2029.
Jahn proved to be a natural speaker and, with experience, he’s learned how to reach some of the harder cases.
It’s not uncommon for him to walk into the room and find his court-ordered listeners with their arms folded, gazing at the ceiling, quite ready to tune him out. Far from getting frustrated, Jahn rises to the challenge.
“You just kind of develop a calm because after you see that so much, you kind of learn to see behind it,” he said.
“A lot of times, I can kind of sense, by looking at the crowd, who needs to hear it the most.
“I’ve had some pretty humbling experiences where the roughest guy in the room will come up to me after as everybody’s walking out and he’ll be the guy that’s in tears. He’ll be the guy who wants to shake my hand. I found that it’s very important to connect to those people and always ask them their names and to let them tell me a little bit about themselves.”
It’s a measure of his success that he’s been contacted by listeners years after the fact. He’s been approached by adult men and women who remembered Jahn speaking at their high schools and who still vividly recall his story.
“They’ve even named their own kids after Ryan and Kaitlyn,” he said.
Peru woman helps feed the hungry in the Illinois Valley
By TOM COLLINS
Kathy Rauh took a vacation to San Francisco and was appalled by the poverty and homelessness. Seeing the lines of supplicants for food and shelter was gut-wrenching.
After returning home to Peru, she asked her then-pastor, “What could she do?”
The Very Rev. Paul Carlson told Rauh that if she wanted to feed the hungry, then there’s no place like home to start. Carlson was the pastor at St. Patrick Catholic Church in La Salle, where Rauh is an active member, and people in need regularly knocked on the church’s door seeking food donations.
“And he said, ‘Why don’t we start a food pantry?’ ” Rauh recalled. “And that’s how it actually got started.”
That was in 2017. Carlson, now pastor of the churches in Oglesby and Utica, said the project was started “with the desire to not turn people away from the church door without something in their hands.”
“Kathy’s work is much more than distributing canned goods,” Carlson said. “She takes care to gather food and home needs that people actually need when going through a rough time. She is careful with everything. From the type of bag used to the seasonal spiritual reading that sometimes accompanies the bags.”
Initially, it was a two-person operation. Rauh and her husband, Mike, appealed to parishioners for nonperishable food and then collected it once a month. They raised enough to fill about eight grocery bags to be given to the needy.
But as word circulated, donations grew – and so did the demand. Today, Rauh and a small band of volunteers will hand out 20 bags or more a week. In some cases, there are itinerant homeless people, but sometimes fixed-income seniors are grappling with soaring inflation.
“Some people worked their whole life and now they can’t get enough food on the table because they just get Social Security,” Rauh said. “We have a lot of people
KATHY RAUH
“Why don’t we start a food pantry?” Kathy Rauh asked her then-pastor in 2017 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, La Salle. With her pastor’s encouragement, Rauh and a group of volunteers have helped local
local food pantries.
that are hungry, that have a Social Security check only, and that’s not making it nowadays at all.”
“We just want to try and help people who need a little something extra.”
Rauh is a native of Toledo, Ohio, who was transferred to Peru to temporarily manage the former Montgomery Ward store. Little did she know she’d one day return for good. Her next stop was in upstate New York, where she met and married Mike in 1987. Mike is a DePue native, and they settled permanently in the Illinois Valley in 2009.
Her managerial skills came in handy as she built the food pantry up from nothing. She converted a large closet in the parish office into a storeroom for food donations and gradually drew volunteers who help with the sorting, bagging and record-keeping. Recipients are limited to one donation a month and must furnish a photo ID.
Nancy Maciejewski of La Salle went from donating food items to assisting Rauh with the inventory and distribution.
“I thought it was wonderful,” Maciejewski said. “I just see such need when people come and the line is out the door. It’s fulfilling, but yet it’s sad at times.”
Rauh and St. Patrick’s deliver just a fraction of the food provided by the regional food pantries and lack the refrigeration needed to store and distribute milk, meat and frozen foods.
Nevertheless, Rauh’s operation helps fill in a gap in food access. Families occasionally run into a shortfall between the distribution days held by regional food pantries. A sack of nonperishables from St. Patrick’s can feed the needy for a critical week or so before the next regional food distribution.
Rauh’s generosity inspired others in her faith community to give. The Ladies Sodality provides $5 gift cards for the purchase of fresh meat or milk and, once a month, donates “Blessing Bags” containing nonfood items such as shampoo and deodorant.
Once a month, the Peoria Diocese sends a van with supplemental needs such as paper products, including toilet paper and diapers, for struggling families.
Tom Collins
families left without food in between distributions at
DAVID RAIKES Marseilles man’s legacy built on service
By BILL FRESKOS
When you pull into the parking lot of Marseilles’ City Hall and the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial, you’ll see a tribute stone for the late Larry Shehorn off to the right.
Shehorn is well known for his service to our country as a Vietnam veteran, but just as importantly, he was an inspiration to many because of his service, including Marseilles native David Raikes.
For more than 40 years, Raikes has carried forward lessons he learned from Shehorn by heading up volunteer efforts across the Illinois Valley through his work with Laborers Local 393, along
with various community project groups.
Raikes traces his commitment to service back to his childhood in Marseilles, because he had role models who instilled the importance of putting community before self.
Among those influences, Shehorn stood out to Raikes in many ways.
Shehorn was Raikes’ little league baseball coach, but he was known throughout Marseilles for helping others in subtle ways that didn’t always get recognition – whether that meant cutting someone’s grass, giving rides to doctor appointments, or just checking in on neighbors.
“That’s just the type of person he was,” Raikes said. “He was always there for people and didn’t ask for any attention, but we all paid attention and looked up to him for that.”
Bill Freskos file photo
David Raikes poses for a photo after spending several hours maintaining the grounds at the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial on April 8 in Marseilles.
• RAIKES
Continued from page 9
Those values stayed with Raikes as he entered the construction trades after turning 18, before eventually becoming heavily involved in unionled volunteer efforts.
Over the decades, those efforts have included a variety of community projects.
However, the project that stands out most to Raikes came more than 20 years ago with the construction of the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial in Marseilles.
Built by volunteers under a tight deadline, the project required months of long days, late nights and coordination across multiple trades and organizations.
“If you had to contract it out, it would’ve been about a million-dollar project,” Raikes said. “But people came out of the woodwork to help out. They believed in it.”
For fellow volunteer Mark Parisot, who has known Raikes since the 1970s through the union, the memorial remains a defining example of Raikes’ volunteerism and leadership.
“His concern for his fellow man is what stands out the most to me. He’s just the epitome of what it is to really be a volunteer,” Parisot said. “He just really cares about people and it shows with his passion for that wall. He genu-
inely wants those people to never be forgotten.”
In a small community like Marseilles, Parisot said that kind of leadership makes a lasting impact.
“He’s selfless, and that carries over to everyone around him,” Parisot said. “He makes people want to be part of something bigger.”
As many did for him, Raikes said one of his top priorities is trying to involve younger people in community projects and volunteer work.
He believes the younger generation adopting a community-first mentality starts with adults leading by example. It’s a mindset he believes can only be taught, just as it was once taught to him.
“If we don’t invest in the kids, who’s going to carry on these traditions?” he said.
Raikes said the people in Marseilles are the reason he spends countless hours giving back, a community of people he describes as willing to step up and often without much recognition.
“There are so many people here who just care about one another,” Raikes said. “That’s what makes a community strong, and it’s gotten us through tough times together.”
For Raikes, that sense of community is guided by a simple philosophy he’s lived by for decades.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
PUTNAM COUNTY COMMUNITY CENTER
128 First St., P.O. Box 208 Standard, IL 61363 (815) 339-2711 or (800) 757-4579 pcaservices.org
• Information & Assistance Linking People to Benefit & Services
• Outreach Home Visits
• Congregate Meals Tues. & Thurs. ($8 Suggested Donation for those 60+)
• Certified SHIP Site (Medicare Help)
• Activities & Programs Tues. & Thurs.
• Lending Closet (Free Use of Medical Equipment)
• Family Caregiver Resources
• Alzheimer Disease & Related Disorder Services
• EngAGED Program (Reduces social isolation and loneliness among older adults)
Shaw Local News Network file photo Lincoln Elementary School students hand David Raikes, Laborers Local 393 business manager, food collected by the school’s Neediest Kids Committee in 2012. The food was delivered to the victims of a tornado in Harrisburg.
ADAM GUTSHALL Officer building trust on and off the court at Princeton High School
By KEVIN HIERONYMUS
Adam Gutshall is combining two of his loves in one place at Princeton High School.
By day, he is the resource officer at Princeton High School for the Princeton Police Department.
At night, he is coach Gutshall, the assistant JV boys basketball coach.
Gutshall, the resource officer at PHS since January 2020 and an 18-year member of the Princeton Police Department, says the role is a refreshing change from patrol duty.
“On patrol, a lot of time you’re dispatched to something negative. That’s how law enforcement is,” he said. “There are negatives that happen [at PHS], but the atmosphere is very positive. I truly
enjoy talking to kids, talking to staff about stuff that’s non-police-related, really. Still doing law enforcement work, just a different style.”
Gutshall starts his day at 7:30 a.m., greeting the students as they arrive for the school day with Jeff Ohlson, the dean of students, assistant principal and athletic director.
While serving as a resource for the school, acting as a liaison for law enforcement, including counseling, Gutshall’s main job is providing security for the school, which he describes as a little town of 500 people with students and staff.
“It can be different each day, kind of like on the road,” he said. “I enjoy it. I like helping people with problems they don’t think they can solve themselves, and assist with that. I’ve become softer. I
Scott Anderson
Adam Gutshall has been the Princeton Police Department School resource officer at Princeton High School since January 2020.
JOEL PEREZ Mendota man wears many hats as he embraces leadership
By MATHIAS WOERNER
Joel Perez has been a fixture in the Mendota community for his entire life.
He is a union representative for his co-workers at Ridley Feeds, an athletics coach at Mendota High School and in the local little league community.
Perez has devoted himself to his family, co-workers and community in an exemplary fashion, although most may be familiar with his work as a coach.
“I’ve coached for years, and I’ve coached almost everything,” he said. “You name one person or another, I’ve coached their kid in football, softball, basketball or something.”
Perez has been at Mendota High School coaching multiple sports for over two decades (although he doesn’t like to think it’s been that long), and has also helped out in Little League.
He currently is the head softball coach, a position he has held for 13 years.
“I’m just here to try and help the girls get better,” he said. “I like how hard they play and how they work.”
Perez’s fellow coaches and faculty at MHS aren’t as modest in their descriptions of his impact on the school and the community.
“What truly sets Coach Perez apart is his consistent investment in our student-athletes. He has never turned down an opportunity to help kids grow and flourish, both on and off the playing field,” teacher and MHS coach Aaron Sester said. “I know I can always rely on Coach Perez to offer guidance and mentoring – not only to the kids in our community but often to myself and other coaches as well.”
Sester has seen the impact Perez has had on the community as both an athlete and a colleague.
“He has helped shape a stronger school and a more connected community; his impact is, and will be, felt for generations,” he said.
Gary Barerra, the head of the physical education department at MHS, has known Perez his whole life, dating back to their Little League days.
“He has been involved in the lives of so many student athletes. He has positively impacted their lives from the youth programs all the way until they graduated high school,” he said. “Joel has been a positive role model for kids as they grow up; they respect him and look at him as a positive in their lives.”
Perez’s devotion isn’t limited to athletics. He has an active role in helping his co-workers outside the walls of MHS.
After working at Fasco Mills, Perez moved to Ridley Feeds Ingredients, where, for the past three years, he has been a union steward representing more than 100 employees.
“When the opportunity came up, I thought that I’d give it a try and see how it would work out,” he said. “You can’t make everybody happy, but you try to do your best.”
Perez said that as a union leader, he tries to get people to buy into everybody’s success.
“I’m more of a what we can do for everyone instead of what we can do for an individual because it’s a union, and we’re all together,” he said. “Some people just don’t look at it that way.”
After taking on multiple roles at MHS and at his workplace, Perez tried his hand at another form of community involvement in 2025: local government.
Perez ran for the Mendota City Council, emphasizing giving a voice to the Hispanic community in Mendota and bringing people together.
“There are all kinds of people who have a voice, and nobody has really put in the time to want to try to bring the Mexican community in more,” he said. “I just figured maybe people would get out and do more if somebody like me was involved. They might want to get out and be part of building Mendota.”
Although he did not win, Perez said he wants to give it another run next time around to see if he can make another difference in the community he calls home.
Scott Anderson file photo
Mendota 1st Ward candidate Joel Perez speaks during a candidate forum on March 11, 2025, at the Mendota Civic Center.
LUKE TOMSHA Foundation founder builds unique support system from his own battle
By BILL FRESKOS
For the Perfectly Flawed Foundation’s founder, Luke Tomsha, helping those fighting drug addiction starts with two key ideas: stigma kills, and to meet people where they are.
Shaped by his own experience battling a heroin addiction, Tomsha has built a support system for those shaped by his own experience.
Based in downtown La Salle, the nonprofit leads regional efforts in substance use prevention and recovery support. From its mobile wellness unit to a new machine that tests street drugs’ chemical makeup, the foundation is changing how communities approach addiction.
See TOMSHA on page 14
Scott Anderson file photo
Perfectly Flawed founder Luke Tomsha, who struggled for years with drug dependency and made helping others his new life’s work, talks at his La Salle office in 2024.
Continued from page 11
guess that’s part of being a dad, too. I’ve become more patient and more understanding of some things that people go through and act the way they do.”
Gutshall, a father of four, said it’s all about gaining trust with the students.
“You give the kids a different perspective on law enforcement. That we’re humans, we’re dads, we’re brothers, coaches,” he said. “There’s a different side of law enforcement. You can talk to them. It’s not always a negative perception or interaction with us. Just try to be a positive influence. Try not to hound them. They’ve got the teachers to go to. They don’t need the guy with the uniform and the duty belt on constantly harassing them ... where are you going? Why are you here?’ And all that stuff.”
Gutshall, who coached the seventh grade state girls basketball team at Logan Junior High and has coached at the Metro Center for several years, said being a coach at PHS helps students see him in a different light.
“It lets them know I’m not just a cop. Yes, I’m law enforcement, but I’m a dad, a coach, I have a son, I have nephews, daughters,” he said.
He’s developed such a close relationship with his athletes that some will call
• TOMSHA
Continued from page 13
He struggled with heroin use for more than a decade, a period he said exposed him to support systems that often failed.
“Traditional treatment demands abstinence from the start – ‘it’s to stop using drugs and alcohol, and then we’ll help you.’ To me, that’s backward.”
During that time, Tomsha said he often found himself in environments that felt restrictive or judgmental, rather than supportive.
“Recovery spaces can be very exclusionary,” he said. “There was never a space for people who didn’t fit that all-ornothing model. People are afraid to seek help because of how they’re treated, and I saw that firsthand.”
Tomsha said his experience gave him a unique perspective, allowing him to rethink traditional approaches to recovery. After he stopped using heroin in 2015, he began sharing his story publicly – first through writing about his experiences, then by raising money to help others access alternative forms of support.
“I started this work and came forward with my story to reduce stigma,” Tomsha
him “coach” during the school day when he’s clearly in uniform.
Gutshall’s son, Noah, and nephew Deacon Gutshall are both sophomores at PHS. He jokes that he has sympathy for them because “when I was growing up, my dad [Terry] was principal [at Bureau Valley], so when I was in high school, I was kind of dreading that.”
A standout on Bureau Valley’s state basketball and playoff football teams, Gutshall said his athletic career helped prepare him for his job, especially as a training instructor.
“I’ve been blessed with having a bunch of good coaches through junior high with Coach [Dale] Donner leading up to high school with Coach [Brad] Bickett, Coach [Bret] Helms and in college with Coach [Russ] Damhoff,” he said. “How they structured practice. The efficiency of practice. The effectiveness of practice. It definitely translated into my profession in law enforcement.”
He jokes that he still can hear the voice of coach Bickett in how he approached the game of basketball.
“One thing about Bick, he always uses the word ‘passionate’ about playing basketball,” Gutshall said. “I guess I try to do that, too, with law enforcement, the training part of it, be passionate about it. It’s bigger than you. It’s a responsibility and not all about you. It’s about the people around you.”
said. “I wanted to be a part of creating an environment where people feel comfortable coming forward with their struggles.”
This approach involves two concepts: stigma kills and meeting people where they are.
Through programs such as mobile outreach and harm reduction services, Perfectly Flawed works to ensure people have access to basic resources and support, regardless of their situation.
“There can be a lot of weight in this work,” he said. “You’re dealing with a lot of sadness, but you also know you’re in a position to make a difference.”
Despite those challenges, Tomsha said his focus remains on helping people find stability and purpose in life.
“I think it’s about helping shift people’s mindset,” he said. “We all have strengths. It’s about finding what brings you joy and pursuing that.”
Looking ahead, Tomsha said he hopes to continue expanding education and awareness efforts, particularly around addiction and public policy.
“There’s so much misinformation out there,” he said. “If we can educate people and change perspectives, we can make a real impact.”
GRANVILLE CEMETERY
MEMORIAL DAY CLEAN-UP
Granville Cemetery requests removal of ALL decorations except those on shepherd’s hooks and baskets that are ON the monuments or RIGHT NEXT to by June 1st. NO GLASS vases, jars or breakable containers should ever be placed in the cemetery. All shepherds’ hooks that are badly bent or rusted also need to be removed.
Families are now responsible for taking all residue with them as there are no longer any areas at the cemetery for disposal.
Families utilizing the Mausoleum are also reminded to remove any unsightly decorations or artificial flowers.
All items not cleared will be removed by the caretakers and discarded. Clearing these items represents an ever-increasing expense to the cemetery. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
NO LIVE FLOWERS, PLANTS, BUSHES, ETC. ARE TO BE PLANTED AT ANY TIME! These make it impossible for the caretakers to do their job properly.
John
B. Holmbeck, President Barbara A. Kessler, Sec/Treas.
38TH ANNUAL
LAKE THUNDERBIRD
GARAGE SALES AND
EVENTS
Friday and Saturday, May 22nd and May 23rd, 2026 Garage Sales 8am - 4pm Maps Available at the Clubhouse and Lake Entrances
ADDITIONAL EVENTS AT THE CLUBHOUSE
Friday, Bake Sale at 8am and Hot Dog Lunch
Saturday, Bake Sale 8am - 1pm and Breakfast 8am - 11am~ $12/adult, $5 children under 10
Putnam County library offers free May programs
McNabb branch hosts documentary screening and teen book club exploring the Revolution
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
The Putnam County Public Library District announced Monday a series of free educational programs taking place throughout May at the McNabb branch.
· Docs & Dialogue: Mr. Polaroid –5 p.m. Wednesday, May 13
Mr. Polaroid tells the little-known story of the visionary behind the instant camera: Edwin Land, a Harvard dropout who imagined a camera people would use as naturally as a pencil or a pair of eyeglasses.
Running time: 53 minutes. Not rated. Made possible through Kanopy.
· Chapter 250: Reading America’s Story Together – Teens – 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 27
Teens ages 13 to 19 are invited to join, in-person or virtually, a hybrid community book club exploring the American Revolution through shared reading, conversation and film. Each month, participants watch a preview from the PBS documentary The American Revolution along with short companion videos connected to the featured book, followed by an informal guided discussion. The program runs approximately 45 to 60 minutes. To attend virtually, register at: https://shorturl.at/MH55v.
All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call 815-339-2038 or visit the McNabb branch at 322 W. Main St.
Condit library in Putnam offers free May programming
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
The Putnam County Public Library District is pleased to announce three free, educational programs taking place in May at the Condit Branch, open to the public at no cost.
· Docs & Dialogue: Family Recipe –Jewish American Style at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 14
Brisket, blintzes, bagels – Jewish cooks have been adding flavor to the American melting pot since their arrival, but Jewish food is far more than delis and diners. Running time: 54 minutes. Rated G. Made possible through Kanopy.
· Docs & Dialogue: The Brooklyn Bridge at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 21
At the time of its completion, the Brooklyn Bridge was the largest bridge ever built – a technical accom-
plishment of unparalleled scope, marked by enormous construction challenges and equally ingenious solutions. Director Ken Burns captures both the physical majesty of this landmark achievement. Running time: 58 minutes. Rated G. Made possible through Kanopy.
· Chapter 250: Reading America’s Story Together – Youth at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 28, In-Person & Virtual
Youth ages 8 to 14 are invited to join a hybrid community book club exploring the American Revolution through shared reading, conversation, and film. Program runs approximately 45–60 minutes. To attend virtually, register at: https://shorturl. at/bXyd4.
All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call 815-339-2038 or visit the Condit branch at 105 N. Center St., Putnam.
34 years of open doors: One teacher’s legacy at Seneca High
By MARIBETH M. WILSON
In Marilee Applebee’s Seneca High School classroom, books are more than assignments – they’re doorways. Students stand in a charged Salem courtroom as accusations fly, walk alongside Scout Finch as justice is tested and confront the unsettling world of book-burning firefighters
Applebee is retiring after 34 years at Seneca High School. In her final year, former students and colleagues are reflecting on how she transformed literature into lived experience – and created a classroom where every student felt safe to be themselves.
“When you’re teaching literature, you need to ground it in the time period either it was written in or set in,” Applebee said. “You want to make sure they understand the time period it was written in and the setting. So if you’re doing ‘The Crucible,’ you need to understand Puritanism, but you also have to understand McCarthyism because that’s what it was about.”
By weaving each work’s historical context into the lesson, Applebee transforms reading into a lived experience – helping students see not just what a text says, but why it matters long after the final page.
The daughter of two high school English teachers, Applebee grew up surrounded by books and a passion for teaching.
“I guess it’s in my blood,” she said, laughing. “When I was about 2, my parents put my crib up against a bookshelf and I just pulled the books into my crib. Like, I want to read these. It’s just one of those family stories.”
Applebee credits her parents for shaping both her teaching style and her approach to reaching students. She said she often hears them in her lesson plans and when she speaks to her students.
“Their love of books, their love of travel, their love
MARILEE APPLEBEE
of teaching – I’m really my parents’ kid in terms of where I ended up and what I teach,” she said.
This passion for justice, inherited from her parents, shapes every lesson she teaches. Her lesson plans combine her love of literature and history with her commitment to recognizing injustice.
When teaching “Fahrenheit 451” she focuses on censorship. When teaching “Black Like Me” it’s about the Civil Rights Movement. She opens each unit by changing her bulletin board to represent the challenges presented in the text, then gathers students around it to begin the lesson.
“When I put up the next bulletin board – it’s all about books that have been challenged,” she said. “We talk about it: Have you read this book? What’s wrong with that book? And then I explain what people are saying about it.”
During her AP English class, Applebee taught “Night,” Elie Wiesel’s 1956 Holocaust memoir. Inspired by her mother, who also taught “Night” in her own
class, Applebee realized she could create an entire literature course focused on the Holocaust.
“It just happened organically,” she said. “I don’t even know how many months of researching and pulling things together, until it became a semester class. I think it’s been about 15 years now.”
Once again, she focuses on what’s happening historically – and what’s happening now.
“It hurts me to see that we’re allowing it in this country and in other places in the world,” she said. “About 10 years ago, I started adding to my PowerPoint every single semester because there was more happening. And then Bondi Beach happened, and then they bombed a synagogue in Mississippi. It breaks my heart to see it happening.”
Applebee’s classroom became known as a haven for students struggling with their differences, an aspect of her room that she took very seriously.
APPLEBEE, page 17
Maribeth Wilson
Marilee Applebee stands in front of her classroom bulletin board, which displays challenged books as part of her curriculum on censorship and intellectual freedom. Applebee, who is retiring after 34 years at Seneca High School, uses the bulletin boards to open each unit and engage students in discussions about why certain books have been challenged.
Continued from page 16
“I think I grew into it,” she said. “I didn’t have a super liberal background or anything. But stepping up and caring for other people is what my parents did – doing extra things for kids.”
She recalled a pivotal moment early in her career, before the language of allyship became common.
“A young man came to my door one morning and said, ‘Mrs. Applebee, I just wanted to tell you that I figured out I’m gay,’ ” she said. “And I went, processing, processing... OK, thank you for sharing that.”
That moment stayed with her. Right before the Supreme Court made its decision on marriage equality in 2015, Applebee noticed a group of students who needed support. She worked with the school social worker at the time, Jill Rockrohr – now the director of Special Education – to create the Gay-Straight Alliance.
“I realized there was this new population that maybe didn’t feel safe, because I didn’t know how they felt,” she said. “I thought maybe someone just needed to stand up and say, ‘Hey, I’m an ally.’ I started to advocate and see who those kids were, and make sure that people in the school – administration, other teachers – knew that maybe we needed to do better and do more.”
Over her 34 years at Seneca, Apple-
bee took 13 overseas trips with students, expanding their understanding of the world beyond the classroom. Her former students and colleagues have reached out to express their gratitude.
In a retirement Facebook message board, more than 300 former students left comments reflecting on her impact. One wrote: “Thank you for being a teacher that always made each student feel accepted and cared for.”
Vicky Carathanassis, now a pastor, shared how Applebee’s impromptu speaking lessons shaped his career. “Impromptu speaking taught me to read the prompt, and the first idea that comes to your mind afterwards is either your thesis, argument or conclusion,” he said in a message to the school. “I’ve done this with every paper I’ve written and every sermon I’ve preached, and it’s never failed me.”
On her last day at Seneca, Applebee’s classroom will be empty. But the books will remain, doorways to other times, other places, other lives. And somewhere, a student will open one and understand, finally, why it matters.
When asked how she wants to be remembered, Applebee was clear.
“I want to be remembered for showing the kids there is so much more to the world out there,” she said. “It’s so fun to go and experience it. And maybe just loving literature. I think you can tell the teachers that really love what they’re teaching, and I hope that came through.”
Maribeth Wilson
Marilee Applebee sits at the broadcast journalism desk in her classroom at Seneca High School. Over her 34-year career, Applebee taught multiple courses including AP English, Holocaust literature and broadcast journalism, leaving an impact on hundreds of students.
• APPLEBEE
Bureau County clinic creating blueprint to address gaps in rural women’s healthcare
Providers say rural communities must develop local solutions to maintain care access
By BILL FRESKOS bfreskos@shawmedia.com
As rural areas across the country continue to lose access to obstetric and women’s health services, leaders at the Bureau County Health Department say their newly established family health clinic is proving local health departments can help fill the gap and potentially serve as a model for communities across the state.
The Bureau County Family Health Clinic, which opened in April last year, was created specifically to address growing concerns surrounding women’s health access in Bureau, Putnam and Marshall counties after years of hospital service reductions and provider shortages.
“We felt that the health department needed to step up and take responsibility for local health,” Bureau County Board of Health chair Pat Schou said. “If you look at this area 10 years ago, we had three hospitals providing OB services. All of a sudden, it fell apart. And it’s not just happening here.”
According to a 2025 study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, access to obstetric care in rural areas is declining significantly across the country. Between 2010 and 2022, seven states had at least a quarter of their hospitals stop providing obstetric services. By 2022, there were eight states where more than two-thirds of rural hospitals were without obstetric services.
Schou, who has chaired the Bureau County Board of Health for about 30 years, said the clinic was born out of a community needs assessment and conversations with longtime women’s health providers about how rural communities could respond to declining care access.
“We can’t always expect a large
I hope they do look to model this. We have to realize that our communities have to take care of our communities.”
Angie Reidner, nurse and midwife
for a startup rural practice.
“We are full most days,” Reidner said. “From day one, we’ve seen a minimum of 14 to 16 patients a day. Usually, when you start a practice, you see two, maybe three patients a day if you’re lucky.”
Schou said patients now come from roughly 50 ZIP codes throughout the region.
Repeatable success
health system to fix everything,” Schou said. “We also have to know what our local needs are, and we have to be responsible locally.”
The clinic now provides women’s healthcare, family planning, prenatal and postpartum care, gynecological services, primary care, immunizations and behavioral health support through a partnership with Arukah Institute of Healing.
Angie Reidner, who has worked in women’s healthcare for four decades and as a midwife for 35 years, said the clinic was designed around “low barrier care” tailored to the realities of rural communities.
“When you can include the family and the women’s healthcare together in one setting, you’re really providing comprehensive low barrier care,” Reidner said. “For rural women, that’s important because sometimes you’re traveling an hour, an hour and a half to get the care that you need.”
Reidner said the clinic has focused heavily on prenatal and postpartum care, areas she believes have become increasingly vulnerable as rural hospitals have scaled back obstetrics programs.
She added that postpartum care is
often overlooked despite rising concerns nationwide surrounding maternal mental health and safety.
“Unfortunately, one of the leading causes of mortality during the postpartum period is maternal suicide and violence,” Reidner said. “We really need to make sure that we are available and that we are seeing women after they have their babies easily, quickly and regularly.”
According to Schou, the clinic started entirely from scratch – a challenge both she and Reidner acknowledged is one reason similar models have not become more common among local health departments.
“This coming together was certainly not easy,” Schou said. “You have to set up a clinic, build consensus, get community support and have your board beside you.”
Rather than relying on major grants, Schou said the health department used reserve funds and secured a $150,000 line of credit through county government to launch the clinic.
“That just shows you how supportive the community was,” Schou said.
The clinic has quickly grown since opening, with officials saying patient demand exceeded typical expectations
The clinic’s leadership believes the model could eventually help shape rural health strategies elsewhere in Illinois and beyond. Schou said he has already presented on the clinic at a national conference and discussed the concept with state maternal health officials.
“I hope they do look to model this,” Reidner said of other health departments. “We have to realize that our communities have to take care of our communities.”
Looking ahead, Reidner said the clinic hopes to continue expanding community education, increase access to walk-in care for sexually transmitted infections and urgent women’s health concerns and reduce stigma surrounding issues such as substance use, violence and mental health.
“We need to be very intent on meeting their needs for low-barrier care and non-stigmatizing care,” Reidner said.
Schou said the long-term goal extends beyond their community and ties directly to the future healthcare of rural communities.
“If we’re going to keep our rural communities viable, we have to have young families and we have to support and provide things they need,” Schou said. “People in rural areas deserve quality care.”
Scott Anderson file photo
A view of the medical cabinet inside the Bureau County Health Department on April 22 in Princeton.
Putnam County Class of 2026
Adam Acquisto Madison Ahlstrom Jonathan Avila Beckham Baker Nolan Bence Braden Bickerman Cadience Bickett Cole Boedigheimer
Mariah Maulfair Ryan Oliver Talon Pack Giavanna Palmieri Ella Pyszka Juan Ramirez Alexander Rodriguez Sydney Samek
Teaghan Sarver Carson Schlosser Zackery Siegmann Annamae Smith Beau Stoner Johnathon Stunkel Eric Vipond Brayden Zuniga
Class of 2026
Frawley
Robert Gaspardo Ella Hess Daniel Hill Maya Johnson Mazie Koll Naomi Lester Waylon Lindstrom Benjamin Meachum
Jacob Miller Sophia Miller Alison Mitchell Landon Nighsonger Briana Ortiz Makenzy Phillips Leaf Rackley Emma Robbins
Carson Rowe Taylor Rowe Samuel Schlosser Harper Schrock Brooklynn Thompson Carter Williams
Margaret Arkins Alp Arslan Ava Balestri Genavyve Barnes Landon Boggio Lily Bosnich Savannah Bray Johnnie Brown
Noah Buck August Burr Drew Carboni Caden Carls Chuanyang Chen Anna Cyrocki Emerald De_La_Torre Jose De_La_Torre
Haoxuan Du Madeline Fabish Gino Ferrari Harrison Fess
Christopher Gedraitis Ashton Gonzales Mae Hagenbuch Weston Heersink
Aiden Hermes Zachary Husser Shuyu Jiang Isaac Kang Bokyung Kim Jihun Kim Breanna Martinez Nevaeh Mavis
Lili McClain Ruby Michels Ella Mudge Kenneth Mudge
Sophia Ni Kamila Ortiz Jillian Pinter
Trajan Raffety Xiangyi Ren Carson Riva Chipper Rossi Mark Rudenko
Alyssa Savitch
Class of 2026
ST. BEDE ACADEMY
St. Bede Academy Class of 2026
Aiden Hermes Zachary Husser Shuyu Jiang Isaac Kang Bokyung Kim Jihun Kim Breanna Martinez Nevaeh Mavis
Lili McClain Ruby Michels Ella Mudge Kenneth Mudge Loc Ngo Sophia Ni Kamila Ortiz Jillian Pinter
Trajan Raffety Xiangyi Ren Carson Riva Chipper Rossi Mark Rudenko Sara Ruiz Lena Sartin Alyssa Savitch
Emma Slingsby Lillian Soliman Ryan Soliman Shujie Song William Sramek Devin Steil Miranda Torres Battista Verucchi
Julian Villava Peiwen Wu Xindi Wu Hongsheng Yang Ayla Yeske
Yannis Yong Kian Zeller Ruihan Zhang
Yijing Zhang
2026 Inductee
Announcements started in April and will continue through May!
Celebrating Illinois Valley’s Excellence in Sports
The preservation and promotion of the local athletics history and tradition is important for any community, and the Illinois Valley is no different. Since 2019, Shaw Media has worked with the community to honor outstanding achievements of Illinois Valley’s greatest athletes.
The Hall of Fame will welcome its newest members – luminaries in local sports history, one and all – on June 4th at its 2026 induction ceremony at The Auditorium Ballroom in La Salle. Individuals and teams from the Illinois Valley will make up the Class of 2026, in addition to recipients of the Distinguished Media Award, the Lanny Slevin Lifetime Achievement Award, the Legacy Individual Award and the Legacy Team Award.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW
Limited Seats Available...reserve yours TODAY!
For more information and to purchase tickets visit https://www.illinoisvalleysportshof.com/
If you would like to sponsor the 2026 Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame, email Jeanette Smith at jmsmith@shawmedia.com
Putnam County veteran shares Honor Flight experience with DAR
Miles Crook describes April trip to Washington memorials with 70 other military
veterans
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
Miles Crook of rural Putnam County shared his Honor Flight experience with the Chief Senachwine Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at their May 2 meeting.
Crook traveled to Washington, D.C., on April 7 with 70 other military veterans, their guardians, doctors, nurses and assistants. His son, Alford Crook, served as his guardian on the trip.
“There wasn’t a detail left undone,” Crook said of the experience.
The group departed from Gen. Wayne A. Downing International Airport in Peoria and was greeted by buses in Washington ready for a tour of memorials. Among the stops was the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, where the group participated in a Changing of the Guard Ceremony and placed a wreath. Nearby, they visited the Pentagon’s 9/11 Memorial, which commemorates the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the building.
The group also toured the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and visited several memorials on the National Mall, including the Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial and World War II Memorial. Another stop was the Navy Memorial, located between the White House and the U.S. Capitol.
On the return flight, the veterans received music and letters of gratitude for their service. The Chief Senachwine Chapter will present gifts and a chapter honorarium in Crook’s name to Peoria Honor Flight.
Crook, who served in the National Guard, said the entire trip was well-organized from start to finish, including a police escort to the airport and a welcoming return reception.
Following Crook’s presentation, Chapter Regent Jean Galetti reported that the chapter received 18 awards at the Illinois DAR State Conference on April 24-26. She also noted that chapter members have donated 140 items to veterans at the La Salle Veterans’ Home.
The next chapter meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at Henry’s First Presbyterian Church’s social room. State Regent Marria Blinn will visit.
For information about the Daughters of the American Revolution, call 815-866-4288 or visit dar.org/membership.
Beth Mabis, 91 born in Nebraska, Nov. 1st, 1934. Married 1956 to Harold (Corky) Mabis. They had Kent & Kelly. All deceased and one brother Duane Carr. Surviving 5 grandchildren: Paul, Kimberli, Calton, Kent-Michael, and Paige and 8 great grandchildren, one brother Larry Carr, one sister Sandra Peeples.
meeting.
The Family of the late Robert Wheeler
wish to express their sincere appreciation for the many ways of kindness, messages of sympathy, and visits during our recent loss.
Thank you, Linda, Robert (Nicole) Wheeler II, Janel (Trent) Wheeler Goodale, and family
Photo provided by Chief Senachwine Chapter NSDAR
Miles Crook of Putnam County displays some of the items he received during his April 7 Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C. Seventy-one vets and support staff toured memorials in D.C. and Virginia. Crook shared his experiences with the Chief Senachwine DAR Chapter at its May 2
Granville library offers free May programs on American history, food, labor and women’s stories
Six events explore founding era through documentaries, lectures and community book club
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
The Putnam County Public Library District announced Monday a series of free, educational programs taking place throughout May at the Granville branch. Programs cover American history, culinary culture, labor rights, women’s history, and civic literacy, and are open to the public at no cost.
· Docs & Dialogue: Statue of Liberty at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 12
Ken Burns’ lyrical and provocative portrait of America’s most enduring symbol explores both the history of the Statue of Liberty and the deeper meaning of liberty itself. Running time: 60 minutes. Not rated. Made possible through Kanopy.
· Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, In-Person & Virtual Culinary historian Sarah Lohman presents an engaging illustrated lecture exploring how eight influential ingredients quietly transformed the way Americans cook and eat. To attend virtually, register at: https://shorturl.at/bmVeK.
· Docs & Dialogue: Memorial Day Massacre – Workers Die, Film Buried at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 19
This documentary examines a shameful and largely forgotten chapter in
OBITUARIES
Donna Crow, 65, of Crystal River, FL, passed on 05/04/2026.
Arrangements entrusted to Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments, Princeton, Il. Additional information: www.norbergfh.com.
American labor and media history. Running time: 33 minutes. Not rated. Made possible through Kanopy.
· Her Story, Our Nation: America250 Women’s Sites in Washington, D.C. at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, In-Person & Virtual
Representatives from A Tour of Her Own, a Washington-based touring company, will guide audiences through key America250-related sites in Washington, DC connected to the nation’s founding –highlighting both the women whose stories are marked and those whose legacies remain hidden in plain sight. To attend virtually, register at: https://shorturl. at/dvpLV.
· Docs & Dialogue: Joseph Pulitzer –Voice of the People at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 26
This documentary explores the remarkable life of Joseph Pulitzer, the Jewish immigrant from Hungary whose name became synonymous with journalistic excellence. Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes. Not rated. Made possible through Kanopy.
· Chapter 250: Reading America’s Story Together – Adults at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, In-Person & Virtual
Adults ages 19 and older are invited to join a hybrid community book club exploring the American Revolution through shared reading, short film clips, and conversation. Program runs approximately 45–60 minutes. To attend virtually, register at: https://shorturl. at/0aaJI.
All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call 815339-2038 or visit the Granville Branch at 214 S. McCoy St.
ALYCE COLE
Alyce Cole, 96, of Sheffield, IL, passed on 05/05/2026.
Arrangements entrusted to Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments, Princeton, IL. Additional information: www.norbergfh.com.
How to submit: Send obituary information to putnamobits@shawlocal.com or call 815-632-2534. Notices are accepted until 5 p.m. Friday for Wednesday’s edition. Obituaries also appear online at shawlocal.com/putnam-county-record.
DONNA CROW
SPORTS
BASEBALL: PUTNAM COUNTY 3, MENDOTA 0
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1983: Reggie Jackson is first major leaguer to strike out 2,000 times
1993: KCC Royal George Brett hits his 300th home run
Putnam County uses small ball in win over Mendota
By KEVIN CHLUM kchlum@shawmedia.com
As the innings kept passing without the Mendota baseball team getting a runner on base, Putnam County senior Johnathon Stunkel admitted he was feeling the pressure “a little bit.”
The Panther’s ace had a perfect game through six innings before an error and a hit to start the seventh ended it.
“I think somebody in the dugout mentioned it and that might have been what happened at the end, but that’s alright,” Stunkel joked.
Stunkel quickly shook off the loss of his perfect game and no-hitter to induce three straight groundouts to cap off a one-hit shutout in a 3-0 nonconference victory over Mendota on senior night May 8 in Granville.
“I just had to get back into it and throw,” Stunkel said about keeping Mendota off the board following the base runners.
Stunkel made it tough for the Trojans all game as he struck out 10 batters and did not walk any.
“The curveball definitely helped me a lot today,” Stunkel said. “My curveball is probably my best pitch. I was able to pump the zone with it. Definitely starting ahead in counts helped, for sure.”
Stunkel allowed only two balls to be hit out of the infield. Mendota leadoff hitter Quinn Eddy hit a pop up to shallow left field that shortstop Maddox Poole made a diving catch on in the fourth and Esten Otero hit a hard ground ball through the left side for Mendota’s only hit.
“We knew we were going to be in the game with Johnathon throwing,” PC coach Chris Newsome said. “He always gives us a shot. Johnathon did a heck of a job. He set the tone.
“He didn’t give any free passes and that’s No. 1 is making them earn it. We’ve been guilty of letting guys on for free. It’s really been a key point we’re trying to hammer home. And then play clean behind him, and for the most part, we did that.”
While Stunkel was dominant, Otero
Stunkel led off with a double to left-center field and went to third on an errant throw to the infield.
Poole put down a squeeze bunt to score Stunkel for the game’s first run.
To start the fifth, Carter Hochstatter worked a full count, fouling off four pitches in the process, before hitting a double to right field.
Hochstatter moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Jacob Furar laid down a squeeze bunt. The Panthers added a run on an RBI triple by Traxton Mattingly.
“Once we saw we weren’t necessarily knocking the ball around like crazy, we started going to small ball and it worked for us,” Newsome said. “It’s something we practice a lot. We know we’re not an all-star offensive team one through nine. We have some guys who can swing it and some guys are hotter than others.
“During the season, you just kind of ride that roller coaster, but at any point, we could bunt one through nine. We’ll play small ball if we have to. You just have to adjust to your personnel and who’s hot and who’s not.”
The Panthers improved to 15-9.
“We have plenty of room to improve and that’s what we’re going to do,” Newsome said. “We’re going to keep trying to get better. You always want more as a player and as a coach. That’s what drives a lot of these guys is just showing up every single day trying to improve. Hopefully the third week of May things are rocking and rolling and you can win a few in a row.”
was strong for the Trojans, as well.
Otero started with three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit over that stretch while striking out four, including the side in the third.
Otero threw five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
“That was quite a pitchers’ duel,” Mendota coach Jim Eustice said. “We didn’t have a base runner until the seventh inning. What a way for [Stunkel] to
have a senior night here. I’m glad he didn’t get a perfect game, but he really threw a heck of a game, and they played great defense behind him.
“I thought Esten pitched fantastic. Our defense was very good. We had a couple we just couldn’t get to in the outfield.”
After not doing much offensively the first time through the order, the Panthers turned to small ball in the fourth to get on the board.
The Trojans fell to 10-10. In Eustice’s first season as head coach, Mendota is ahead of last year; the Trojans finished 9-18-1 in 2025.
“We’ve improved a ton,” Eustice said. “We got win No. 10 [Thursday], which was important to us. We’ve won four conference games [after one last season]. We have two weeks left now to build up to the postseason. We have a pretty good pitching core, we played pretty good defense and our hitting has been pretty good overall this year. I think we can compete with just about anybody, and we proved that tonight.”
Scott Anderson
Putnam County’s Johnathon Stunkel lets go of a pitch to Mendota on May 8 at Putnam County High School.
Putnam County softball tops Mendota
By KEVIN CHLUM kchlum@shawmedia.com
SOFTBALL
Putnam County 9, Mendota 2: Chloe Parcher homered, doubled, drove in three runs and scored two runs to lead the Panthers to a nonconference victory Friday in Granville.
Ella Irwin was 2 for 3 with a triple, two RBIs and a run for PC (9-14), while Alexis Margis doubled, scored three runs and drove in a run.
Kennedy Holocker was the winning pitcher as she gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks in a complete game.
Leah Henkel was 2 for 3 with a run for Mendota (10-14), while Eva Beetz
was the losing pitcher.
Marquette 11, Putnam County 2: Alexis Margis had the Panthers’ lone hit and scored a run in a Tri-County Conference loss Thursday in Ottawa.
Kennedy Holocker was the losing pitcher for PC (8-14, 6-8 TCC).
Marquette 12, Putnam County 9: Alexis Margis was 3 for 4 with a triple, a double, three runs and an RBI as the Panthers lost a Tri-County Conference game Tuesday in Granville.
Bella Gibson was 2 for 4 with three RBIs for PC (8-13, 6-7 TCC) and Paige Tonioni went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run
Kennedy Holocker was the losing pitcher.
Princeville 13, Putnam County 6 (5 inn.): Bella Gibson went 3 for 3 with a triple, two runs and two RBIs as the
Panthers lost a nonconference game Monday in Granville.
Chloe Parcher tripled, doubled and scored two runs for PC (8-12), while Kennedy Holocker was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI.
Holocker was the losing pitcher.
BASEBALL
Marquette 8, Putnam County 0: Traxton Mattingly had the lone hit for the Panthers in a Tri-County Conference loss Tuesday in Granville.
Kade Zimmerlein was the losing pitcher for PC (14-8, 7-6 TCC).
TRACK & FIELD
At Henry: Henry-Midland swept its senior night meet.
The Timberduck girls scored 84 points to beat Lowpoint-Washburn (40) and Putnam County (23).
PC’s Sarah Wiesbrock won the 3,200 (14:50).
In the boys meet, Henry had 57 points to beat Lowpoint-Washburn (46) and Putnam County (45).
Putnam County’s Alex Rodriguez won the shot put (14.96) and discus (46.12), while Elijah Brown won the triple jump (10.34) and Vincent Cortes won the 400 (59.38).
At Seneca: Putnam County’s Alex Rodriguez was runner-up in both throws at the Tri-County Conference Meet on Tuesday with tosses of 15.28 meters in the shot put and 48.64 meters in the discus.
The Panthers placed fifth as a team with 38 points.
In the girls meet, Putnam County was sixth with eight points.
MARQUETTE 3, PUTNAM COUNTY 2
Marquette sweeps Panthers in 3-2 pitchers’ duel
despite the tense situation. That advice paid off as Couch got a groundout for the first out before striking out the next two hitters to earn the save.
impressive on the mound, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out five.
his lineup was impatient early in the game but started to settle in and pick up Poole’s stuff after seeing it.
By BILL FRESKOS bfreskos@shawmedia.com
It wasn’t the Marquette baseball team’s prettiest game at the plate or defensively, but the Cru did just enough to hold on late against Putnam County on Thursday, May 7 at Masinelli Field in Ottawa.
With the game tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Marquette (23-1, 12-1) took the lead after third baseman Caden Durdan grounded out to score a run before catcher Jaxsen Higgins singled to extend the lead to 3-1.
However, Putnam County (14-9, 7-7) made things interesting in the seventh inning, loading the bases with nobody out before Cru head coach Todd Hopkins opted to use a mound visit.
During the visit, Hopkins said he told senior closer Anthony Couch to simply relax and trust his stuff
“After he settled down a bit, I thought Anthony [Couch] did a good job of locating, got a ground ball, and Caden [Durdan] made a good play at third,” Hopkins said.
“We get the first out, now they’ve got second and third, and Anthony just came up big to avoid any contact. He trusted his stuff and kept competing, and that was impressive.”
Although conditions were not ideal for right-handed pitching.
Temperatures were in the low 60s and heavy wind blowing out to right-center field, however, both starting pitchers were in complete command of their zones throughout their outings.
Marquette starting pitcher Griffin Dobberstein allowed one earned run and struck out 10 over six innings. Hopkins said Dobberstein’s first two innings were “more workmanlike than expected,” but he eventually settled in.
Despite taking the loss, Panthers sophomore starter Maddox Poole was
Putnam County head coach Chris Newsome praised the sophomore’s performance, emphasizing Poole’s pitch mix and sequencing to keep the Cru’s hard-hitting lineup off the board for more than four innings.
“I thought he did a really good job to keep them off balance,” Newsome said.
“He was able to throw multiple pitches front to back, almost backwards, with off-speed stuff first and mixing the fastball in off that to get soft contact.”
After committing just one error, Newsome also credited the defense behind Poole for finishing innings and stranding multiple Crusaders on base.
Hopkins also praised Poole for his deception on the mound, as well as his ability to field his position.
“I was real impressed with him,” Hopkins said. “He made a heck of a play on Dobberstein’s bunt, too. Griff laid down a great bunt, but he was like a cat off the mound. He’s a good ballplayer.”
While praising Poole, Hopkins felt
“I thought we were impatient the first four innings,” Hopkins said.
“We started working counts and drew a couple big walks in the innings we scored.
“Sometimes you have to kick-start things a little bit by running and doing stuff maybe you don’t always do.”
After beating the Panthers 8-0 earlier in the week, Hopkins said he reminded his players not to become complacent after the win.
“In our league, we play everybody back to back, and just because you beat somebody one night doesn’t mean it’s going to be handed to you the next,” Hopkins said.
“I think tonight’s game was a good example of that.”
Conversely, Newsome said he was pleased with how his team responded after the loss.
“Maddox did a great job of setting the tone early,” Newsome said. “You’ve got to have a quick memory in baseball, whether it’s pitch by pitch or game by game. I was proud of the way we played tonight.”
PU TNAM COUNTY CUSD #535
PU TNAM COUNTY
CUSD #535
400 E Silverspoon Ave. Granville, IL 613 26
LE GA L NO TICE
NOTICE OF PU BLIC HEARING
NOTICE OF PU BLIC HEARINGS
Hennepin Township and Road District
CLASSIFIED
PU TNAM COUNTY CUSD #535
ADVERTISING NOTICE
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subjec t to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to adver tise “any prefer ence, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an inte ntion, to make any such preference , limita tion or discrimination .” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 livin g with parents or le gal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of child ren under 18. This newspaper will not know in gly ac cept any advertising for real estat e which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call, HUD toll-free at 800- 669-9777. The toll-free telephone numbe r for the he aring impaired is 800-927-9275
400 E . Silverspoon Ave. Granville, IL 613 26 LE GA L NO TICE NOTICE OF PU BLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education of School District No 535 in the counties of LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam , State of Illinois, that a tentative amended budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 is on file and conveniently available for public inspection at the District Office in the Primary School Building 400 E Silverspoon Avenue, Granville, Illinois in this school district after 7:30 a.m. on the 22nd day of May, 2026
400 E . Silverspoon Ave. Granville, IL 613 26 LE GA L NO TICE NOTICE OF PU BLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education of School District No 535 in the counties of LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam , State of Illinois, that a tentative amended budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 is on file and conveniently available for public inspection at the District Office in the Primary School Building
400 E Silverspoon Avenue, Granville, Illinois in this school district after 7:30 a.m. on the 22nd day of May, 2026
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education of School District No 535 in the counties of LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam , State of Illinois, that a tentative amended budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 is on file and conveniently available for public inspection at the District Office in the Primary School Building 400 E Silverspoon Avenue, Granville, Illinois in this school district after 7:30 a.m. on the 22nd day of May, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE CORRECTIO N
38th Annual Lake Thunderbird Garage Sales and Events
Friday and Sat urday, May 22nd and 23rd, 2026
Garage Sales 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Friday and Saturday Maps Available at the Cl ubhouse and Lake Entrances
At Cl ubhouse
Notice is further given that a public hearing on said budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the 23rd day of June, 2026 at the Primar y School Building in the School District No 535. Dated this 13th day of May, 2026. Board of Education of School District No 535 in the counties of LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam , State of Illinois.
Friday, Bake Sale 8:00 am and Hot Dog Lunch
Notice is further given that a public hearing on said budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the 23rd day of June, 2026 at the Primar y School Building in the School District No 535. Dated this 13th day of May, 2026. Board of Education of School District No 535 in the counties of LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam , State of Illinois.
Saturday, Bake Sale 8:00 am – 1:00 pm and Breakf ast 8am-11am $12/adult, $5 chil d under 10
(Published in Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2323727
Notice is further given that a public hearing on said budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the 23rd day of June, 2026 at the Primar y School Building in the School District No 535. Dated this 13th day of May, 2026. Board of Education of School District No. 535 in the counties of LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam , State of Illinois.
(Published in Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2323727
The Senior Freeze Exemption household income increased from 65,000 to 75,000 for tax year 2026, payable 2027 The deadline to appeal local property assessments is Friday, May 29, 2026 (Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2323714
PUBLIC NOTICE
Pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/10-115, the farmland assessments for 2026 (payable 2027) will increase by 10% of the preceding year's median cropped soil productivi ty index as certi fi ed by the Illinois Department of Revenue with data provided by the Farm land Assessm ent Technical Advisory Board resulting in $56.71 increase. (Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2324892
PU BLIC NOTICE FY 2027 MEETING DATE S THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF HENNEPIN, PUTNAM CO UNTY, ILLINOIS, MEET S IN REG ULAR SESSION ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 5:30 P.M. AT THE VILLAGE HALL, 627 E. HIGH ST., HENNEPIN, ILLINOIS 61327
THE DATES OF THE REGULAR MEETINGS FO R THE 202 7 FISCAL YEAR ARE AS FO LLO WS:
MAY 20th , 2026
JUNE 17th , 2026
JULY 15th , 2026
AUGUST 19 th , 2026
SEPTEM BER 16th , 2026
BUREAU VALL EY FFA ANTIQUE TRACTOR AUCTION & REDIGER AUCTION' S SPRI NG CONSIGMENT AUCTION
OCTOBER 21 st, 2026
NOVEM BER 18 th , 2026
DECEMBER 16 th , 2026
Pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/10-115, the farmland assessments for 2026 (payable 2027) will increase by 10% of the preceding year's median cropped soil productivi ty index as certi fi ed by the Illinois Department of Revenue with data provided by the Farm land Assessm ent Technical Advisory Board resulting in $56.71 increase. (Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2324892
NOTICE OF PU BLIC HEARINGS
Hennepin Township and Road District
NOTICE IS GIVEN that Tentative Budget & Appropriation Ordinances for Hennepin Township and the Hennepin Township Road District, Putnam Co., IL for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2026 & ending March 31, 2027 are on file & available for public inspection at the Hennepin Township Road District Building, 6235 Route 26, Hennepin, IL
NOTICE IS GIVEN that Tentative Budget & Appropriation Ordinances for Hennepin Township and the Hennepin Township Road District, Putnam Co., IL for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2026 & ending March 31, 2027 are on file & available for public inspection at the Hennepin Township Road District Building, 6235 Route 26, Hennepin, IL
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that Public Hearings on the Tentative Budget & Appropriation Ordinances w ill be held at 7 PM on June 24, 2026 at the Hennepin Village Hall, 627 E. High St., Hennepin, IL & that final action on the Budget & Appropriation Ordinances will be taken by the Town Board at a meeting to be held at that time & place.
Dan DeMattia, Clerk (Published in Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2324544
PUBLIC NOTICE
Senachwine Township Lake Thunderbird's off lake lots with no improvement have a value of 1122 for 2026, payable 2027. Previously it was 2204. Should you have questions, please call the office at 815-9257238 or em ail at pcassessor@ putnam il.gov
Tamara Mehalic C.C.A.O., Putnam County Supervisor of Assessm ents (Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2325058
(Published in Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2323727
Saturday May 30th, 2026
Sunday May 31st , 2026
LARGE ITEMS WILL BE LIVE AND ONLINE SATURDAY!
SMALL ITEMS WILL BE HELD ONLINE ONLY ENDING SUNDAY! Give us a call to cons ign 815-699-7999
JANU ARY 20 th , 2027
FEBRUARY 17 th , 2027
MARCH 17th , 2027
APRIL 21st, 2027
THE HENNEPIN PLANNING AND ZONING CO MM ISSION'S REG ULARLY SCHEDULED MEETIN GS ARE THE FIRST WEDN ESDAY OF THE FIRST MO NTH OF EACH CALEND AR QU ARTER AT 6:00 PM AT THE VILLAGE HALL FY20 27 DATES ARE AS FO LLO WS:
JULY 1 st, 2026
OCTO BER 7th , 2026
JANU ARY 6 th , 2027
APRIL 7 th , 2027
DIANA BRAN DSTATTER VILLAGE CLERK
(Published in Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2324690
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that Public Hearings on the Tentative Budget & Appropriation Ordinances w ill be held at 7 PM on June 24, 2026 at the Hennepin Village Hall, 627 E. High St., Hennepin, IL & that final action on the Budget & Appropriation Ordinances will be taken by the Town Board at a meeting to be held at that time & place.
Dan DeMattia, Clerk (Published in Putnam County Record May 13, 2026) 2324544
HENNEPIN FOOD MART
GROCERY SPECIALS
Hidden Valley Dressings 16 oz $399
Kraft Miracle Whip 30 oz $599
Our Family Sweet, Dill, Bread Butter
Pickles 16-24 oz 2/$5
Kraft Deluxe Velveeta Shells Dinners 14 oz 2/$5
Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Mixes 75 oz 2/$5
Lays Classic Potato Chips 7 75 oz 2/$7
Rice a Roni or Pasta Roni All 3/$5
Post Bunch O or Raisin Bran Cereal All 2/$7
Pre Sweetened Kool Aid, Country Time, Tang 19 oz 2/$7
Family Size Jell-o Gelatine or Pudding Mix 6 oz 2/$3
