1 Front Volume 141 No. 22
Friday, July 25, 2014
The Tonica News
Single Copy Cost 50¢
5,000 same-sex marriages reported in Illinois By Christi Warren Shaw Media Services
More than 5,000 samesex couples have been married in Illinois since the law allowing samesex marriages took effect on June 1, according to a news release from Equality Illinois, an LGBT advocate organization.
The survey of Illinois counties conducted by Equality Illinois found that at least 3,274 marriage licenses were issued, and 1,694 civil unions were converted to marriages. Numbers recorded in area counties, according to Equality Illinois, include: Henry County — two civil union licenses
converted to marriage licenses; LaSalle County — 10 civil union licenses converted and six marriage licenses; Marshall County — none; and Bureau County — two civil union conversions and one marriage license. These numbers are all taken from the Equality Illinois survey. Tracking the exact
number is a challenge because the 102 Illinois counties’ record-keeping systems vary. The survey found some county clerks combined the licenses and conversions into one number. Other counties – including DeKalb – said they treat all marriages the same, and thus do not keep a record of the same-sex marriages. If
they had, the number of newly recorded same-sex marriages would easily be over 5,000. Five counties didn’t respond to the survey, the news release says, and nine counties reported no licenses or conversions issued. The survey found that most of the marriages happened in Cook Coun-
Treasures a-plenty in Tonica By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — The old saying says “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” There are a lot of hidden treasures located in Mitch Urban’s lot behind his Tonica home. Three and one-half acres of land holds trailers and buildings full of antique cars, antique motorcycles and antiques of all shapes and sizes. From hubcaps to pickaxes to free weights to tanning beds — if you’re looking for it, odds are Urban has it. “That’s a 1948 wooden Bally pinball machine,” Urban said. “I used to love playing them.” Several cars sit around the lot, most for parts but many in the process of rebuilding. Off in one corner of the lot sits a late ‘60s Volkswagen Beetle painted like “Herbie, the Love Bug.” An International Scout from 1968 rests nearby. A rare 1954 Kaiser Manhattan rests near the front of the lot, mostly intact and waiting for a buyer, a short distance from a 1963 Pontiac Bonneville Urban just pulled the engine out of for another car. Dozens of grill assemblies and transmissions lie in a nearby building with a loft nearly filled to the brim, bursting with hubcaps from nearly every make and model car. “I’ve been doing this my whole life,” Urban said. “I’ve lived in this house since I was 6. It’s just been building from then. “My father started the business in 1958. I was a year and one month old,” Urban said. “He got cancer when I was pre-entered in the Marine Corps right after my 17th birthday. A whole bunch of my buddies were going into the Marine Corps, and I was going to go with them. My father was in the Navy, and he told me he got cancer when he heard I was going into the Marine Corps.” Urban moves from antique to antique with a certain amount of pride and a nearly encyclopedic memory of each item.
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TGS hires two staff members By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
Tonica News photo/Ken Schroeder
Mitch Urban stands with a U.S. Cavalry sword inside one of several trailers full of antiques at his antique yard on Ray Richardson Road in Tonica. Urban’s wares vary from the mundane to the unique at his storage facilities.
Inside Area girls attend Girl Scout camp Page 2
© The Tonica News
ty with 2,370 new licenses and 800 conversions being reported. Rock Island County was another county with a large number of marriages. According to the survey, it reported 108 marriage licenses and 62 civil union conversions. Tonica News reporter Ken Schroeder contributed to this report.
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TONICA — Tonica Grade School added two teachers and some technical assistance to the payroll at its July 16 meeting. Karen Jones was hired as the new middle school science teacher, and Lindsey Bienemann will take the position of autism instructor. Both positions are for the 2014-15 school year. Jones was one of four teachers interviewed for the science position out of seven applicants. Jones is returning to the teaching force after a year as a substitute teacher. “We felt after the interviews, she really fits in with what we’re trying to do here,” Superintendent John Suarez said. “She has PBIS experience, a very diverse background, her references all checked out very well, and I felt she meshed well with the staff members during her interview. She was clearly the stand-out candidate.” Bienemann was one of four candidates who applied for autism instructor. She is a firstyear teacher and the fifth autism instructor hired in the last five years by the school district. In other action, the board: • Set the rate of pay for Ronda Ketner at $50 an hour. Ketner’s position is shared with Dimmick School. • Tabled discussion on the pay rates for administrative staff members Monica Krieser and Jessica Schneider. • Approved changes to
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