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Once again, Thank You, Teachers
Teaching at any level, from preschool to college, is about as noble a calling as you’re going to find. And the men and women who pursue this career cannot be thanked enough. But we’re still going to give it a try.
For the third time now, Shaw Local News Network is expressing its gratitude for educators and the work they do with special editions of all our publications expressly devoted to teachers.
These Thank You, Teachers editions will include dozens and dozens of stories on educators in all our publications, every one of which can also be found on our website, shawlocal.com.
Thanking teachers in these special editions of our newspapers is the least we can do in light of not only all their hard work but also their influence on our children and how this impacts our future.
Our reporters, photographers and editors worked hard to compile this collection of stories, as they previously did for special editions, thanking not only teachers, but also first responders and veterans.
As with our previous efforts, this Thank You, Teachers shines a
VIEWS
Joe Hosey
spotlight on out-of-the-ordinary educators and tells their unique stories, such as the piece by reporter Maribeth M. Wilson in the La Salle News-Tribune about the teacher who first started a forensic science program at LaSalle-Peru Township High School.
Teacher Nancy Kochis “knew she didn’t want her class to be ordinary, so she set out to bring in a panel of expert guest speakers bringing the ‘real world’ into her classroom,” Maribeth wrote.
Or a story by Chris Breach of the Daily Journal in Kankakee about Manteno High School social studies teacher CJ Boudreau, who is also a Manteno village trustee and so much more.
“I’ve always thought I was a good time manager,” Boudreau said in Chris’ story. “Not only am I a high school teacher, I am the high school golf coach, so that’s in the fall. I was a sponsor for a couple other clubs. I’ve kind of dropped back on those, but I’m a sponsor for current club Purple Crush right now. It takes a lot of time. I write a lot of schedules down. I make sure I keep that balance.”
Northwest Herald reporter
Michelle Meyer told the story of Jennifer Slad, a special education teacher at Marlowe Middle School in Lake in the Hills, who raised awareness of childhood cancer and money for the nonprofit St. Baldrick’s Foundation after one of her students was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Denise M. Baran-Unland of The Herald-News in Joliet reported on Jennifer Gruca, an English Language Arts teacher at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Plainfield, who was named the Illinois State Board of Education Far South Suburbs Regional Teacher of the Year.
“The teaching style of an award-winning Plainfield teacher can be summed up in three words: making literary connections,” Denise wrote.
Those are just a few of the stimulating pieces you can find on shawlocal.com. And in addition to these stories, we also have letters of gratitude penned to specific teachers.
So, as we find ourselves amid National Teacher Appreciation Week, these special editions are our way of showing our appreciation.
Thank you, teachers.
• Joe Hosey is the executive editor of Shaw Media. You can reach him at 815-526-4387, at jhosey@ shawmedia.com or on X, @JoeHosey.
ThankTeachersYou,
Shaw Local News Network would like to recognize and thank the teachers and support staff in our community,
Putnam County CUSD #535
Putnam County High School
Putnam County Junior High
Putnam County Elementary
Putnam County Primary School
Henry-Senachwine CUSD #5
Henry-Senachwine Grade School/Junior High
Henry-Senachwine High School
Fieldcrest Community Unit School District #6
Fieldcrest Primary School
Fieldcrest Middle School
Fieldcrest Intermediate School
Fieldcrest High School
By PEGGY SCHNEIDER IVCC Community Relations
Teaching dual credit courses for Illinois Valley Community College puts Vince Brolley back in high school, where he feels right at home.
Brolley has been a pivotal member of IVCC’s dual credit enrollment program for more than 25 years, and this spring he received statewide recognition for the role.
He was named an Instructor of the Year by the Illinois Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships. Two instructors chosen from a field of 13 nominees received a $100 gift card and their profiles will be featured in an upcoming newsletter.
In acknowledging the honor, Brolley said to be singled out for what he enjoys doing “is like getting praised for eating ice cream.”
In their nomination, Dual Credit and Enrollment Coordinator Sarah Trager and Dual Credit Specialist Lizzy Kummer commended Brolley’s “unwavering dedication to the dual credit program and the benefits that come along with it” and his passion for the college and the opportunities the college provides to the area.
Photo provided by Peggy Schneider
Vince Brolley embraces two different environments as a psychology instructor at Illinois Valley Community College and teaching dual credit students in area high schools. He recently was recognized by a state alliance of concurrent enrollment educators for his pivotal role in IVCC’s dual credit program.
SHARON K. GUISTI
Born: October 3, 1944 in Princeton, Illinois
Died: April 23, 2025 in Hennepin, Illinois
Sharon K Guisti (Rodseth), 80, passed away peacefully on April 23rd, 2025 at Cabin Livin’ Senior Care in Hennepin with her family by her side. Sharon had battled against Parkinson’s Disease for many years, straying strong until the end.
Sharon was born to Margaret (Ingle) and
Andrew Rodseth at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton, Illinois on October 3, 1944. She attended Tiskilwa schools until 1957 and later moved to Princeton and went to Princeton High School.
She married Don Crane in 1961, they had two boys and later divorced in 1971.
She married Gerald (Jerry) Guisti of Standard on June 2, 1972. They lived in Mark, Illinois for the rest of their days. Sharon was a stay at home mom, but also worked part time for Young’s Salvage in Granville as a secretary and later at Anderson Microfilm. She was a partner in the family business, Guisti Electric, until her husband retired.
Sharon was an enthusiastic and loving
mother, always making life fun and celebrations special. She loved to cook, cross stitch, dance, and spend time with her shih tzu dogs and her family. She will be remembered for her devotion to her husband, her children and her grandchildren.
Sharon is survived by three sons, Gary Crane of Ocala, Florida, Dan (Joanne Kousnetz) Crane of Chandler, AZ, Tony (Haley) Guisti of Granville; two daughters, Kim (David) Garrett of Genoa City, WI , Christine (Jim) Guisti-Hanchett of Streator; fourteen grandchildren and one great grandchild. She is preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, three brothers, a nephew and niece and her husband Jerry. Visitation will be from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on
Sunday, May 4th at Dysart - Cofoid Funeral Chapel, Granville. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 5th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Granville. Fr. Patrick DeMeulemeester will officiate. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Granville. Donations can be made to the family or a local charity of the donors choice. Online condolences may be made to her family at www.dcfunerals.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, where you may sign the guest book, send flowers or make a memorial donation.
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167 school staff members receive honors at Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony
By DEREK BARICHELLO
Atotal of 167 school staff members were recognized May 1 at the 37th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony for La Salle, Marshall and Putnam counties.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to all those who serve in our schools – school support personnel, teachers, administrators, board members, certified support staff and every individual who contributes to the growth and well-being of our students,” said Christopher Dvorak, regional superintendent of schools for the Regional Office of Education 35. “Your dedication, expertise and care
shape the future of education and make a meaningful difference in countless lives every day.”
The event was held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Ottawa and included a dinner by Stone Jug Barbecue in Peru and music entertainment by Steve Sharp.
The following honorees were chosen by their school district to be recognized. Listed are those within Putnam and Marshall counties, or those who work with Putnam and Marshall counties students:
BMP Tri-County Special Education co-op , Megan Baker, educator award Henry-Senachwine CUSD , Debbie Pletsch, Brittany Wolfe, educator award, Frank Bush, Jennifer Scott, retiring educator award, Angie Smith and Annette McKey, retiring support staff, Stephanie Sanneman and Karen Robertson, support staff award
Photo provided by Stephanie Jaquins
Among those honored were Putnam County CUSD school staff (in no particular order) Ashley Bush, Amy Schultz, Megan Kindred, Angie Heiser, educator award, Lynette Olson, retiring educator award, Stacy Veronda, support staff award.
DREAMING BIG Munks turns challenges into triumphs
By MARIBETH M. WILSON
Agood teacher educates you, but a great one inspires you.
Samantha Munks, a SOAR (Students Obtaining Achievement and Responsibility) high school teacher in Peru, pushes her students to be their best by inspiring them to dream and supporting them by meeting them at their level.
“She was always on my butt about getting the right education,” her former fifth grade student Patrick Rucker said. “She was on me every day to make sure I would stay on task.”
SOAR, which operates under La Salle/Putnam Educational Alliance for Special Education, provides instructional support to students in kindergarten through 12th grade with significant behavioral and emotional needs.
Now a fourth grade teacher at Calumet Public School in Calumet Park, Rucker said Munks knew how to pull something out of her students they didn’t realize they had.
“She demands the right way,” Rucker said. “She really had to break me down,
See MUNKS, page 12
SCHOOL REGISTRATION FOR 2025-2026 IS OPEN!
Visit: www.pcschools535.org and click on “Registration for 2025-2026”
Returning Students: Registration may be fully completed online
New Students: Registration begins online but is finalized in person on July 31st, 2025
Prekindergarten: Newly enrolled PreK students must have completed the screening process and received a welcome letter prior to registering. Please contact Mrs. Schorn at (815)882-2800 ext. 1 with questions.
In-Person Registration: Online registration is encouraged but an in-person registration day is scheduled for July 31st, 2025, from 9 AM to 6 PM in the PCHS Commons.
QUESTIONS:
For registration assistance, please contact your child’s school at (815)882-2800. For TeacherEase assistance, please contact Megan Goetz at (815)882-2800 ext. 8.
Scott Anderson
Samantha Munks teaches on April 23 at the Students Obtaining Achievement and Responsibility (SOAR) School in Peru.
HER CALLING
Nicky Barto makes learning science fun, engaging at Hall
By BILL FRESKOS
If you ask Hall High School science teacher Nicky Barto what advice she would give to her students about their future career, it would be this:
“Find your passion, jump in with both feet and do it well,” Barto said. “If you have a career that you enjoy, you don’t really have to work in the traditional sense, do you?”
Barto can easily offer that advice because she’s lived it.
Now in her 23rd year at Hall, Barto has built a career in education around her passion for science, starting at a young age.
See BARTO, page 13
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Nicky Barto poses for a photo in front of Hall High School’s hydroponic towers.
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Samantha Munks teaches on Wednesday, April 23, at the Students Obtaining Achievement and Responsibility (SOAR) School in Peru.
Scott Anderson
• MUNKS
“We FaceTime each other. All of them are successful.”
Continued from page 9
to build me back up and make me who I am now … Mrs. Munks and I still talk to this day … our relationship is very, very strong.”
Munks said growing up in the Ottawa/Naplate area in a separated family, some of her teachers weren’t always kind to her, but the ones who took her in inspired her to pursue a career in education.
“The ones that took me under their wing and told me no matter what, you can be anything you want in the world, no matter your economic background, no matter how you learn … they set the tone for my education,” Munks said.
Munks always wanted to be the kind of teacher who shows students they can succeed, no matter what challenges they face.
“One of my junior high teachers, Mrs. Laura Parks, helped me set that tone for myself,” Munks said. “You can push yourself, and you’ll always have an army behind you.”
She worked at Friendship Village in Ottawa in junior high school and quickly realized her passion was special education, and her dream was to attend Illinois State University to obtain a degree in teaching.
So, she and her grandmother came up with a plan: each year, they would make an educational goal, short and long term, to ensure she would meet her dream of becoming an educator.
“And when I became a teacher, my No. 1 goal was to make a child feel comfortable in my classroom, to make a child feel wanted, that they were worthy and could accomplish anything.”
Munks graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in special education in 2005 and began teaching at Calumet Public School in Calumet Park on the south side of Chicago.
She taught her first set of students from third to eighth grade, and she still talks to them once a month.
“We call it family time,” she said.
One is a special education teacher (Rucker), one owns his own business, one is a head charge nurse at one of the Chicago hospitals and another is a bomb specialist in the Navy, she said.
“These are kids they said wouldn’t succeed,” Munks said. “I said they’re in my classroom – so they’re going to.”
Rucker said Munks has an intense teaching style and gave her students an education in the classroom and life. He said that’s something he’s continued with his students.
“How to become a better person in life,” he said. “Never take stuff to the heart – that was the biggest thing she taught me. Everything I thought was personal was not personal at all.”
Munks spent 12 years in Chicago and five years in Joliet before becoming a high school teacher at SOAR. She said it was another goal checked off her list.
“My whole life, I’ve always wanted to work, what was formerly known as the Circuit Breaker,” she said. “That was always my passion – children who they said had behavioral issues.”
SOAR Principal Janelle L. Gustafson said Munks has remained passionate about teaching at the school.
“Her lessons provide academic skills as well as post-secondary planning,” Gustafson said. ”Mrs. Munks also oversees our high school’s coffee business, Coffee and Chaos.”
Munks has strived to make her classroom welcoming and loving.
“Sometimes kids don’t have a safe space, and we want them to know our classroom is a safe space,” she said.
Munks said her students this year have changed her as a teacher by caring about each other.
“They are there for one another,” Munks said. ”They may get agitated, but they really listen and help each other out … I have to say this year has brought me back to my first year of teaching.
“They love to learn. They want anything they can possibly have. And that’s great because for me, education is the key to unlocking the future.”
• BARTO
Continued from page 10
However, teaching wasn’t always the plan.
“I actually wanted to be a pharmacist,” Barto said. “I took all the science classes in college, applied to pharmacy school, and got waitlisted. So I thought, I need a backup plan. I started taking education courses, and I absolutely fell in love with it.”
“When I finally got accepted to pharmacy school, I realized I didn’t want to go anymore. I think I’d been ignoring my calling.”
Like many educators, Barto’s calling was sparked by her junior high science teacher.
“I had a fabulous junior high science teacher named Mrs. Gorman,” Barto said. “I just loved the way she presented everything – that’s really when I started to love science.”
At Hall, Barto teaches across all science disciplines, from physical science to biology to chemistry.
Angela Carpenter, a fellow teacher at Hall High School, said what stands out most about Barto is her ability to make science easy to understand and fun for all students.
“Mrs. Barto wants to make science accessible and engaging for all of her students,” Carpenter said. “Yet, she still expects the best from herself and from her students.”
Barto’s in-class projects have become known for their hands-on, real-world approach, whether it’s building catapults with freshmen, dissecting in biology, or making pizza to teach chemistry.
“The pizza one’s an obvious favorite by students,” Barto said with a laugh. “We learn the chemistry behind every part – we make cheese, tomato sauce, everything. They love it.”
Hall High School Principal Adam Meyer describes Barto as a “career-long
learner,” always growing and evolving in her teaching.
“She is constantly reflecting on her teaching,” Meyer said. “Even though she has years of teaching experience, she is always looking to create a better classroom experience.”
In addition, Meyer believes that other Hall teachers, especially newer ones, look to Barto as a role model.
“Mrs. Barto is a teacher leader,” Meyer said. “She is a go-to person for a lot of our teachers. They seek out her advice not only because she has experience but also because she is so well respected here.”
Barto doesn’t consider herself to be the type of teacher who seeks praise, but the impact she has on her students is clear.
“You had asked if I had any students who had come back and said I had inspired them and I know I answered the question in kind of a wishy-washy way as I am not one to pat my own
back,” Barto wrote in a follow-up email shortly after her interview with Shaw Local. “I just consider ‘inspiring’ students as part of my job description but I hope that I inspired most of the students I taught in some way, whether it was to continue in science education or to just be a good, well-rounded human being.”
Barto shared that shortly after the interview, she received a thank-you email from a senior student who is set to graduate soon, who wrote:
“Graduation is right around the corner and I am going to be gone. Moving on to big things. I just want to say thank you for always being an amazing teacher. I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher in science to get me through three years of high school. If you were to have taught a science class, I could have taken my senior year, I most likely would have. So thank you for everything you have done to help me succeed.”
Learn about Alzheimer’s disease
May 13 at Granville library
By TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com
The Putnam County Public Library will host a free screening of the documentary “Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s” at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the Granville Library, located at 214 S. McCoy St. Premiered Monday nationally on PBS, “Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s” offers an intimate look into the lives of three families navigating the complex emotional and practical realities of Alzheimer’s disease. The film captures the shifting roles within families and highlights the resilience and adaptability of those facing this life-altering diagnosis.
Following the hourlong film, a community discussion and resource session
will be held. Representatives from the Illinois Valley Alzheimer’s Group will provide information about local resources and support services.
In addition, library staff will introduce the Library’s Memory Kits, available for checkout and discuss how community members can participate in Alzheimer’s research through Stall Catchers, an innovative online game developed by the Human Computation Institute at Cornell University. This special program offers a unique opportunity for education, reflection and community engagement around a disease that impacts millions of families each year.
For information, contact the Putnam County Public Library at 815-309-2038.
Putnam High hosts National Honor Society banquet
Putnam County High School hosted its National Honor Society banquet on April 30. The speaker was Illinois Valley Community College President Tracy Morris, a PCHS alum, and NHS President Anna Sandberg delivered a student challenge as well. The new inductees are Rudy Villagomez, Payton Olson, Brooklin Brown, Cadence Breckenridge, Eric Vipond, Hannah Taliani, Courtney Oliver, Kacie Coleman and Chloe Andersen.
Photo provided by Bethany Newsome
IVCC to host two-part series on Mediterranean gardening, cooking
Sessions
will teach how to grow vegetables, cook Mediterranean-style
meals
By BILL FRESKOS bfreskos@shawmedia.com
A two-part educational series on Mediterranean vegetables and cooking will be held this summer at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby.
“Grow It, Cook It, Eat It” will be
from 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 22 and Aug. 21 in the college’s teaching kitchen, Room CTC-123.
The program is led by Illinois Extension educators Susan Glassman and Emily Hansen, along with Master Gardener volunteers.
The first session will focus on how to grow Mediterranean vegetables and highlight the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. The session will conclude with a cooking demonstration.
In August, participants will return for the second session to prepare a
one-pot Mediterranean meal using the vegetables they grew.
The cost is $10 per person, which includes both classes, resources and recipes.
Participants are asked to bring their own beverage. Class size is limited to 20 adults.
To register, visit the Illinois Extension’s website or call 815-224-0894.
Anyone needing accommodations to participate is encouraged to contact Glassman at susang@illinois.edu or 815-224-0894 as early as possible to allow time for arrangements.
Extension offices to offer free pressure canner dial testing
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
To ensure safety in the home canning process, pressure canner dial gauges should be tested once a year. This canning season, University of Illinois Extension is offering free testing of dial gauge pressure canners at local Extension offices. Over time, the accuracy of a dial gauge can become inaccurate. If the pressure is lower than recommended, the internal temperature of the food will not be high enough to kill harmful bacteria. Register at a local University of Illinois Extension office on a pressure canner testing day. Lids and gauges can be dropped off before the testing day, and the extension will call for you to pick them up at your convenience when offices are open.
Testing days
• 1 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, at Bureau County Extension Office, 850 Thompson St., Princeton. Register at go.illinois.edu/bureaucanner
• 1 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at
La Salle County Extension Office, 1689 North 31st Road, Suite 2, Ottawa. Register at go.illinois.edu/lasallecanner
cannermp.
• 1 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at Marshall-Putnam County Extension Office, 509 Front St., Suite 4, Henry. Register at go.illinois.edu/
Nutrition and Wellness Educator Susan Glassman will offer free testing for dial-gauge pressure canners this May.
LOCAL NEWS BRIEF
Large animal rescue operations course set June 1 in Princeton
Join the Bureau and Putnam Emergency Management agencies and the Bureau and Marshall-Putnam farm bureaus at 9 a.m. Sunday, June 1, at the Bureau County Fairgrounds in Princeton for an eight-hour rescue course targeted at first responders in the area. This class is being designed to bring operations-level information to Illinois emergency first responders in the area of large animal rescue. Responders include but are not limited to members of the fire department, police department, emergency medical services, sheriff’s offices, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and forest preserve officers.
Large animals will include but are not limited to horses, cows, pigs, sheep, llamas and alpacas; however, the horse and cow will be used as the teaching model.
For information or to request an accommodation to participate, call Susan Glassman at 815-224-0894. Early requests are encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.
The course will cover a classroom review of L.A.R.A. information, animal-haltering drills and basic rescue drag drills, rescue glide drills, trailer safety inspections and simple vertical lifts drills, among others.
– Shaw Local News Network
Photo provided by Karina Delgado
Scott Anderson file photo
The Illinois Valley Community College is located at 815 N. Orlando Smith St., Oglesby.
SPORTS
BASEBALL: MARQUETTE 2, PUTNAM COUNTY 0
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1992: Champion Puerto Rican jockey Ángel Cordero Jr. retires after winning 7,057 thoroughbred horse races.
By BRAD MARTIN Shaw Local News Network correspondent
GRANVILLE – After a rainout pushed their Tri-County Conference tilt to Friday, Marquette’s Alec Novotney and Putnam County’s Johnathon Stunkel gave fans a pitching performance worth the wait.
Novotney gave up only a single hit on the day, which came with two outs in the seventh inning, and Stunkel gave up three hits as Marquette came away with a 2-0 victory.
Both pitchers sat down the hitters in order to start the game.
In the top of the second, Marquette took advantage of a Putnam County error and a miscommunication.
Keaton Davis ripped a shot toward right field that the outfielder tracked down but dropped. Anthony Couch then sent a bloop toward short right field where Brayden Zuniga made the call but was unable to reach the ball in time for the catch.
Instead of having two outs, the Crusaders had two on and no outs when Grant Dose hit an RBI single to right that scored pinch runner Connor Baker for a 1-0 lead.
Jaxsen Higgins grounded out to second base to score Couch and put the Crusaders up 2-0, which turned out to be more than enough for Marquette.
“We knew coming in we needed to play a clean game,” Putnam County coach Chris Newsome said. “We made an error on a play where Brayden [Zuniga] did a great job getting to the ball and then couldn’t make the catch, and then we need to do a better job a bit
on communicating.”
After Novotney sat down the Panthers in order in the bottom of the second, it looked as if Marquette was going to get things going again in the third.
Novotney singled to lead off, but was forced at second. Then catcher Miles Main threw out would be base stealer Griffin Dobberstein, keeping the game 2-0.
In the fourth after retiring the first 11 batters, Novotney walked Traxton Mattingly, but Novotney quickly got out of the inning as he forced Drew Carlson to pop out to end the inning.
“Alec was dealing again tonight,” Marquette coach Todd Hopkins said. “As the weather gets warmer he’s
throwing more and more pitches, and he’ll be ready to go for the postseason.”
The Crusaders put pressure on Putnam County in the fifth as Dobberstein led off the inning with a single to right and then ended up on third on a Couch grounder and a wild pitch.
The Crusaders than tattooed a couple of Stunkel pitches, but right at the Panthers’ defenders to end the inning with the score 2-0.
In the bottom of the sixth Putnam County looked to take advantage of getting a runner on when Daric Wiesbrock struck out but reached as the ball got away from Davis.
But Marquette quickly turned a double play as AJ Furar lined to Dobber -
stein who fired to Sam Mitre at first to end the threat.
As the wind picked up in the seventh, Mitre crushed a shot to center, but the wind kept the score at 2-0, giving the Panthers one last shot.
Kade Zimmerlien ripped a shot to left, but a sliding catch by Higgins kept the no-hitter intact for Novotney, but with two outs, Carlson singled to left. Novotney struck out Jaden Soddard to end the game.
“Both pitchers threw well today,” Novotney said. “We both hit the ball hard, but right at guys to make the plays. I felt good getting everything over the plate today and then letting the defense make plays behind me.”
Johnathon Stunkel
Scott Anderson
Putnam County’s Johnathon Stunkel locked intol a pitching duel with Marquette’s Alec Novotney on Saturday in Granville. Novotney and the Crusaders edged the Panthers 2-0.
BASEBALL: COLLEGE UPDATE
Bryant, McDonald making big impact at SWIC
By KEVIN HIERONYMUS khieronymus@shawmedia.com
Southwestern Illinois Community College baseball coach Dave Garcia, formerly head coach at Putnam County High School, has found two more gems from the Illinois Valley this spring for the Blue Storm.
Freshman Max Bryant of Hall and sophomore Jackson McDonald of Putnam County have each made six starts for SWIC, pitching in to help the Blue Storm earn a No. 24 ranking in the nation.
Bryant, the 2024 BCR Player of the Year, started the year as a high-leverage reliever and has solidified himself as a big-game starter for the Blue Storm. He sports a sparkling 2.34 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 42⅓ innings, holding hitters to a minuscule .186 batting average.
McDonald has found himself in a prominent role for the Blue Storm leading into the playoffs. He is averaging more than a strikeout an inning with 31 punchouts in 26⅓ innings to go with a 5.47 ERA.
“Jackson and Max have done a great job for us this year. As the season progresses, they keep getting better,” Garcia said. “I’m really excited to see where their careers go after junior college. They both come from great families with strong local support in the Illinois
FOOTBALL
Valley. They’re doing great on the field, but they’re great teammates and have helped redefine our culture for our pitching staff.
“Personally, having grown up in Putnam County, it’s been great to have these young men represent not only SWIC, but the Illinois Valley down here.”
Other Hall players to play for Garcia at SWIC have been Jimmy DeAngelo, Trez Rybarczyk and Alec Bulak. Garcia has brought in no fewer than 14 players from the Illinois Valley for his coaching stops at SWIC and Parkland College.
Rybarczyk, the 2021 BCR Player of the Year, is now a senior pitcher at Illinois State, posting a 3-1 record and 4.42 ERA in seven relief appearances for the Redbirds.
Hall has 11 former players playing collegiately this spring, including:
• Chance Resetich, who transferred to Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, from Southeast Missouri State for his extra COVID-19 year. The fifth-year senior utility player has played in 26 games with 18 starts for the Bisons (34-12).
• Kyler Lapp, a sophomore infielder for Ohio Northern University, batting .328 for the Polar Bears (25-10) with 24 RBIs and a .424 on-base percentage. He went 3 for 5 with three RBIs in Monday’s 11-4 win over Wittenburg.
• Junior pitcher Jack Savitch (2021), who has made five relief appearances for NAIA powerhouse LSU-Shreveport, which is undefeated in 47 games this spring.
• Senior Payton Plym (2021), who has made 10 appearances with two starts for the University of Indianapolis. He previously pitched at Black Hawk.
The list also includes former Red Devils Luke Kelty, a senior pitcher at Monmouth College, Riley Coble, a sophomore pitcher at Spoon River Junior College in Canton, and sophomores Ashton Pecher, Ethan Plym and Payton Dye at IVCC. Coble plans to transfer to St. Ambrose next year.
Princeton’s Danny Cihocki is pitching for Northern Illinois University. He is 1-3 with a 6.40 ERA in 17 appearances, including one start.• Cihocki, who transferred to NIU from Lake Land College, will pitch for the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp this summer.
Drew Woolley, a 2021 Princeton product, a senior catcher/outfielder, has wrapped up his career for Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights.
Another former Tiger, Ryan Brucker is a redshirt freshman shortstop for Illinois Central College. He had a single in ICC’s first game of a doubleheader Saturday in an 11-6 loss to Lewis & Clark at Jim Thome Field.
St. Bede is represented on the colle -
giate diamond by freshmen Ryan Slingsby and Alex Ankiewicz at IVCC and freshman Nathan Husser for the College of Lake County.
The two Sams from Bureau Valley – Sam Wright and Sam Rouse – are sophomores at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the alma mater of Storm coach Ryan Schisler. They have been playing for the Kohawks JV this spring.
Sophomores Isaac Attig of Bureau Valley and Austin Mattingtly of Putnam County are playing for Sauk Valley. Mattingly has committed to play at Missouri Southern State University next year.
PC product Luke Olson used up his Division I eligibility at Ohio University but was granted an extra COVID year and is playing at Angelo State University, the top-ranked D-II program in the nation.
Former PC teammate Luke Carlson also is playing Division II ball at Lewis University with his extra COVID season. Other PC products in the college game are Andrew Pyszka (St. Charles Community College in Missouri), Nicholas Currie (University of Missouri Science & Technology) and Troy Petty (Elgin Community College).
Former standout takes over as Hall-PC’s head coach
By KEVIN HIERONYMUS khieronymus@shawmedia.com
SPRING VALLEY – Nick Sterling played in the golden era of Hall High School football, playing on three playoff teams in the mid-1990s, including one state champion team and a state runner-up team.
He turns his attention to getting the Red Devils back to the state championship level.
The former Red Devil has been named the new Hall head coach, succeeding Logan Larson, who resigned after one season to become head coach at his hometown school, Pleasant Plains.
Sterling, who returned to the Hall program last season as an assistant coaching the linemen and JV team,
wanted to take on the job for the betterment of the program and bring back the Red Devils tradition.
“It wasn’t about me. It was important that they got it right to rekindle that fire,” he said.
Sterling’s hire marks the fifth coaching change for Hall since 2019, including a second, two-year stint by Randy Tieman.
“That optic (the coaching changes) alone is not typically what you want for long term,” said Sterling, who is the 16th head football coach at Hall since 1928. “Long term is what we can do to get it back on track is really my only objective. We need to get things back to where they can be.
“It’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication, for sure. It’s going to
take buy-in from the kids, myself and the coaches.”
Having coached last year will help him get a head start knowing his team and their capabilities, Sterling said.
“I only had one year with them just learning who they are and what they can do as an athlete. It was my big learning curve and trying to adapt to Logan and his new philosophies he was trying to implement,” Sterling said.
Hall Athletic Director Eric Bryant, a teammate of Sterling at Hall, said he was the right man for the job.
“Nick being involved with the program over the last year gives us the most familiarity with the kids and the program,” he said. “He’s excited to do it. As soon as Logan stepped down, he jumped in and made sure everything
was running smoothly. We’ve had a lot of weight room stuff going on already. I could see his level of excitement and everything.”
While Sterling is well-versed with and lived the Red Devils tradition, Bryant said it’s more about the current Red Devis making their own legacy.
“It’s about building their own legacy and their program and this is how we do it,” he said.
When it comes to Red Devils tradition, Sterling said he thinks of Friday nights under the lights, playoff football on Saturdays, filling Nesti Stadium every night and the famous pork chops.
“The pork chops. That’s tradition. I had one that first home game (last year) and it hadn’t changed. It was still just as good,” he said.
Jackson McDonald
CLASSIFIED
767 • Mobile Home Sales
PUBLISHE R'S 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.
ESTATE AUCTION
The Followi ng will be Sold-LIVE IN PERSON ONLY at the ON SITE LOCA TION of 708 Market Str eet in Henr y, IL on:
SATU RDAY, MAY 10, 2025
TIME: 10:00 AM
View Listi ng & Photos on website: www.tumblesonauction.com
FURNITURE: Sellers Cabinet; Lg. Three Section Glass Front Cabi net; Oak Curved Glass China Cabinet; Th ree Drawer Oak Chest; Maple to Include: Drop Leaf Di ni ng Tabl e w/ 8 Chairs, Round Ki tchen Table & Chest of Drawers; Overstuffed Chairs & Sofa; Sm Vi zio Flat Screen TV; Sing er Sewing Machine; Antique Rockers; Dbl Bed; Dress ers- One w/ Mirror
COLLECTIBLES , HOUSEHOLD & TOOL RELA TED: Ki tchen Cl ock; Frui t Jars; Porcel ai nware; Butter Churn; Coffee Grinder; Spool Cabinet; Crock Jars; Carnival ; Milkglass; Kerosene Lamp; China Sets; Flatware; Doilies & Linens; Glassw are & Knick Knacks; Lg Collection of Baseball Cards; Books on Indians & Arrowheads; Yard Decor; Tools & Tool Related KEN MILES ESTATE, HENRY, IL
IN THE CIRCUIT COU RT OF TH E 10TH JU DICIAL CIRCUIT PUTNAM CO UNTYHE NNEPIN, ILLINOIS TH E BANK OF NEW YO RK MELLON FKA TH E BAN K OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CW ABS, INC., ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007- 8, PLAINTIFF VS CH RISTOPHER ED WARDS. DEFENDAN TS Case No.: 20 24FC7
PUBLIC NO TICE is given that pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosur e entered in the above entitled cause on January 9, 2025, the Putnam County Sheriff will on June 5, 2025, at 09:00 AM, at the Putnam County Sheriff`s Office, 120 N 4th St., Lobby, Hennepin, IL 61327, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 02-11- 210- 000 CO MMO N ADDRESS: 206 Highway 71, Standard, IL 61363
Terms of all sales are ten percent (10%) of the opening bid Failure to pay the remainin g balance within the twenty-four (24) hours shall result in the forfeiture of the ten percent (10%) down payment. No Refunds.
The toll-free telephone numbe r for the he aring impaired is 800-927-9275
TT TUMBLESON AUCTION COMPANY, PRINCETON, IL
E- mail: ttauction@yahoo.com or Phone 815-872- 1852
Auct ioneers: TOM & MA RY TUMBLES ON / TI FFANY FOES
The property offered for sale is subject to real estate taxes, special assessm ents or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “as is” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
The im provement on the property consists of a Single Family Home
The entered judgment amount was $79,453.93
The property will NOT be open for inspection
For inform ation call Plaintiff's Attorney, Kluever Law Group, LLC, 200 N LaSalle St, Suite 1880, Chicago, IL 60601. 312-236- 0077
SM S001235-24FC1 8144- 953068
May 7, 14, 21, 202 5 Putnam Count y Record 953 06 8
999 • Legal
PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
PEORIA COUNTY - IN PROBATE
NOTICE OF CL AIM DAY Case No. 202 5PR2 ESTA TE OF LARRY
J. BALLERINI, DECEASED
AUGUST 3 0, 2023
PUBLIC NOTICE
Putnam County Planning/Zoning Board of Appeals Public Hearing
Wednesday May 21st , 2 025 at 7:00 p.m. Putnam County Courthouse 120 North Fourth Street Hennepin, IL 61 327
This H earing is to consider the following: ZBA # 25- 00 1, Application fo r Special Use requested by Jolenta Brzeski on behalf of Rodeo 29 Bar and Grill LLC to install an LED lighted pole sign to identify their location and advertise their restaurant on their parcel (s) located in an AG-1 District with a Designated Comm ercial land use status
LEGAL DESCRIPTION-
PUBLIC NOTICE
MEETING CHANGE OF DA TE
Please be advised that the Regular Monthly Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Granville Hennepin Fire Protection District scheduled for Thursday, May 15, 2025 , 7:00pm, at the Hennepin Fire Department, 201 E. High Street, Hennepin, has been change to Thursday, May 22, 2025 , 7:0 0pm at the Hennepin Fire Department, 201 E. High Street, Hennepin.
That part of the Northwestern Quarter of Section 7, Township 1 4 North, Range 10 East of the Fourth Principal Meridian as Follows:
(Published in the Putnam County Record May 7, 2025) 2243441
Notice is given of the death of the above and that Letters of Administration were issued on March 24, 2025, to Administrator - Deborah Jones. Repres ented by Attorney Patrick O'Shaughnessy of the Janssen Law Center, 333 Main Street, Peoria, Illinois. Claims may be filed within 6 months from the date of the first publication of this notice and any claim not filed within that period is barred as to the estate which is inventoried within that period Claims against said estate may be filed on or before said date in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Peoria County Courthouse, Peoria, Illinois, and copies thereof mailed or delivered to said legal representative and to said attorney of record
DATED: April 21, 2025 s/Patrick S. O'Shaughnessy Patrick S. O'Shaughnessy
Attorney: Patrick S. O'Shaughnessy oshaughnp@ janss enlaw center.com Jans sen Law Center 333 Main Street Peoria, IL 61602 309/676- 2341
(Published in Putnam County Record April 30, May 7, 14, 2025) 2240627
Commencing at the Northwest corner of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 7 ; thence south 89 degrees 3 8 minutes 09 seconds East 2309 .64 feet along the North line of the Northwest Quart er of said Section 7 to the intersection of said Northline with the Westerly right of way line of Illinois Route 2 9; thence South 05 degrees 29 minutes 08 seconds West 103 .20 feet along said Westerly right of way line ; thence South 11 degrees 48 minutes 07 seconds West 119.23 feet along said Westerly right of way line to the Point of Beginning; thence continuing South 11 degrees 48 minutes 07 seconds West 218 .00 feet; thence North 11 degrees 48 minutes 07 seconds East 51. 00 feet to a point on the South line of the North 20 acres of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 7; thence North 89 degrees 38 minutes 09 seconds West 676 .53 feet along the South line; thence South 78 degrees 55 minutes 37 seconds East 96. 82 feet to the Point of Beginning containing 3. 000 acres more or less and all situated in Senachwine Town ship , Putnam C ount y, Illinois
Permanent Index Number(s) 03- 09 -2 71- 000
Property Address: 7973 IL Hwy 29
Putna m, IL 61 560
Permanent Index Number(s) 03- 09 -2 90- 000
Property Address: 7973 IL Hwy 29
Putna m, IL 61 560
At this hearing the Planning/Zoning Board of Appeals will review the Application for Special Use ZBA #25- 001 and make a recomm endation to the Putnam County Board to grant or deny the Application. The Putnam County board will vote to grant or deny the application at the follow ing Putnam County Board meeting to be held at the Putnam County Courthouse, Hennepin, Illinois. The following regularly scheduled Putnam County Board Meeting is Monday, June 9th, 2025 , at 5:30 p.m.
The application is on file and available for review at the Putnam County Zoning Office and the Putnam County Clerks Office, 120 N Fourth St., Hennepin, Illinois
(Published in Putnam County Record May 7, 2025) 2242748
THE 10TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT PUTNAM COUNTYHENNEPIN, ILLINOIS THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CW ABS, INC., ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007- 8, PLAINTIFF VS CHRISTOPHER EDWARDS. DEFENDANTS Case No.: 20 24FC7
PUBLIC NOTICE is given that pursuant to the Judgment of Foreclosur e entered in the above entitled cause on January 9, 2025, the Putnam County Sheriff will on June 5, 2025, at 09:00 AM, at the Putnam County Sheriff`s Office, 120 N 4th St., Lobby, Hennepin, IL 61327, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: COMM ENCING AT A POINT 30 FEET SOUTH AND 315 1/2 FEET WEST OF THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 11, TOWNSHIP 32 NORTH, RANGE 1 WEST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, PUTNAM COUNTY, ILLINOIS, THENCE SOUTH 162 FEET, THENCE WEST 155 FEET 3 INCHES, THENCE NORTH 162 FEET AND THENCE EAST 155 FEET 3 INCHES TO THE PLACE OF BEGINNING, SITUATED IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 11, PUTNAM CO UNTY, ILLINOIS; EXCEPT THE COAL UNDERLYING THE SURFACE OF SAID LAND AND ALL RIGHTS AND EASEMENTS IN FAVOR OF SAID MINERAL ESTATE P.I.N. 02- 11-210-000 COMM ON ADDRESS: 206 Highway 71, Standard, IL 61363
Terms of all sales are ten percent (10%) of the opening bid Failure to pay the remainin g balance within the twenty-four (24) hours shall result in the forfeiture of the ten percent (10%) down payment. No Refunds.
The property offered for sale is subject to real estate taxes, special assessm ents or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “as is” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
The im provement on the property consists of a Single Family Home
The entered judgment amount was $79,453.93
The property will NOT be open for inspection For inform ation call Plaintiff's Attorney, Kluever Law Group, LLC, 200 N LaSalle St, Suite 1880, Chicago, IL 60601. 312-236- 0077. SM S001235-24FC1 8144- 953068 May 7, 14, 21, 202 5 Putnam Count y Record 953 06 8
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